Akwa Ibom State Government has explained that the suspension of operations in the Ibom Specialist Hospital, Uyo was as a result of failure of the managers to live up to the terms of agreement.
The government also said that the managers could not offset the cost or declare any profit despite the huge investment made by the state government.
Governor Udom Emmanuel who made this known during the October edition of Government House Prayer meeting held at the Latter House Chapel, Governor’s Lodge, Uyo, stressed that state government had not received any profit since the referral hospital commenced operations.
He said “If as a businessman, I receive 50 percent of the support we give to the person managing the Specialist Hospital, I will declare profit. It came to a point where I asked the manager, where is the money you are charging the patients? Can’t it be used in payment of salary in the hospital?
“I took over the payment of the Consultant’s salary and I paid the consultants from my imprest. I have the vouchers. I took an oath that I would not place my interest above that of the state.
“If people don’t know certain things, let them ask questions and not to castigate the governor. I don’t play politics with the development of the people.”
The governor, however, assured that a new management team would be put in place after reviewing the terms of agreement for the hospital.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment in ensuring that investment in every sector of the state economy yields returns that would help to enhance the revenue profile of the state.
Emmanuel announced that defaulters in the management of assets belonging to the state government would face prosecution, and plans to lease out the Ibom Tropicana Hotel Complex Uyo, to a Consortium to fix and manage the facility while the Four Point by Sheraton Hotel located in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area would be completed and managed by the Sheraton Group.
“We are going to lease out the Hotel in Tropicana to an expert because government cannot run the hotel. The expert would pay some money at the initial state and run the place for a certain number of years to enable them recover their money. If I do this the expert would run the place very well in order to recover their money,” he stated.
The governor said “Let me also say here that education is free in the state. If anybody asks your ward to pay anything, please let us know. Some weeks ago, I released education grant to schools; so, I don’t understand why people should tell students to pay N5,000 for cutlass.”
Rev. Edet Udoh who preached at the prayer summit admonished those in positions of authority to always make the best out of every opportunity they have as well as seek the face of God for direction.
