Olayide Adelami, Ondo deputy governor, and Ali Pate during the handover ceremony in Akure, the state capital
Bolaji Daramola, a Young Progressives Party (YPP) politician in Ondo, has criticised the decision by the state government to hand over the teaching hospital complex of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) in Akure to the federal government.
On Friday, the Ondo state government formally transferred the Akure teaching hospital complex of the state-owned UNIMED to the federal government.
The facility, now renamed the Federal University of Technology Akure Teaching Hospital (FUTATH), will serve as a medical education, training, and research centre for students of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA).
The federal government said the development marks a major milestone in the ongoing efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and expand tertiary health services across Nigeria.
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Ali Pate, the minister of health and social welfare, witnessed the unveiling, handover, and signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the transfer.
The minister described the partnership as a model of effective federal–state cooperation in advancing national health objectives.
In a statement on Saturday, Daramola described the development as “a shame dressed as progress”.
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“Who says Akure can’t have two teaching hospitals? Who made that rule? Why should we beat drums and clap hands because our own state government surrendered a public asset to the federal government? That’s no victory, it’s a shame dressed as progress,” Bolaji said.
“With the power and resources at the disposal of both governments, Akure could have something legendary, where there are two teaching hospitals, for quality healthcare and youth employment. But once again, mediocrity triumphed.”
“Our people have been short-changed, not by fate, but by a government that lacks vision and by voters who sold their power for pennies. Until we stop auctioning our future on Election Day, we’ll keep celebrating betrayals as achievements.”
Banji Ajaka, the state commissioner for health, had said the handover covers infrastructure, equipment, staff and liabilities — and all existing employees are to be absorbed under the federal-government-run FUTA Teaching Hospital.
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