Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, says he will outsource the maintenance of the newly built Dr Peter Odili Cancer, Cardiovascular Diagnostic Treatment Centre to foreign partners.
At the inauguration of the hospital on Monday, the governor said he cannot leave the facility under the care of the state’s Ministry of health as they are not capable of managing a facility of that magnitude.
He said the Consular General of American Embassy has agreed to partner with the state and has made contact with “those who run hospitals very well overseas to come and partner with us in this.”
He said, “So it is not what I will leave for Ministry of Health, no. Please this type of facility is not leave it for the Commissioner of Health and his staff in the ministry, no it will not work that way because it will be painful if we come back here next five years and then you find out it is no longer what it is.
“That is why when you go to government house clinic you can see the standard, you can’t compare government house clinic with any other clinic outside because of those we have brought there to manage it.
“I am sorry, don’t be offended out civil servants, you are good but not in all cases, you are good to carry files but you are not good to maintain and that has also been a problem for us in Nigeria, even the houses we build to maintain it is a problem, your own personal house, to keep it clean is a problem not to talk about public property.”
Wike thanked Julius Berger for partnering with the Rivers State Government and also delivering a standard facility in agreed time.
He said even though the amount of money spent on the project is humongous, it is worth it because Rivers people deserve good and quality facilities.
The Centre which is equipped to international best standards according to Wike, and named after the former governor of the state Dr Peter Odili, was inaugurated by the Emir of Kano, HRH Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.