Constituency Project: ICPC hands over hospital worth N150million to university

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) said on Monday that it has handed over a hospital worth N150 million to the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo (FUNAI) in Ebonyi State.

ICPC’s spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

The commission said the hospital, conceived as a “medical outpost” of the university in 2019, was “unofficially taken over” by the Ebunwana community in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, upon being completed in 2020.

ICPC said the project was facilitated by then senator representing Ebonyi South Senatorial District, Sonni Ogbuoji, appropriated for in 2019 and completed in March 2020, “fully equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities.”

It added that the Tracking Group of ICPC had in the course of the phase two of its tracking exercise traced the Constituency Project located at Ebunwana community in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

“The project has been recovered by the CEPTG team and handed over to the university community on March, 25, 2022.

“Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing to unravel how the local community got access and took control of the hospital without any official ceremony,” the state added.

But the details of the handing over, including names of officials of the parties involved, were not given. The ICPC only provided a picture of what appears to be showing one of its officials in an apron with the commission’s name handing something to another person.

Read ICPC’s full statement below:

Constituency Project: ICPC Hands Over Hospital Worth N150,000,000 to University Community

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has handed over a hospital worth One hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N150,000,000) to the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo (FUNAI).

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The Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Group of ICPC had in the course of the phase two of its tracking exercise traced the Constituency Project being a hospital located at Ebunwana community in AFIKPO SOUTH LGA of Ebonyi State.

The hospital, which was fully equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities was conceived as a Medical outpost of FUNAI and meant to serve as a teaching hospital for her medical students.

The project, which was appropriated in 2019 and completed in March 2020 at the cost of the above sum, was facilitated by the then Senator representing Ebonyi South Senatorial District, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji.

However, after the completion of the project, the local community unofficially took over the hospital even though it was not meant for it and went ahead to rename the facility and appoint a consultant to manage the hospital on a profit-sharing arrangement between the community and the consultant.

Following the illegality that enshrouded the constituency project, the commission stepped in to ensure that the hospital was handed over to the institution for which it was appropriated and executed.

The project has been recovered by the CEPTG team and handed over to the University community on 25th March 2022.

Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing to unravel how the local community got access and took control of the hospital without any official ceremony.

Signed: Mrs. Azuka Ogugua
Spokesperson, ICPC