Clinotech Turnkey and Management Limited , the contracting firm handling the construction of the now abandoned multi-billion naira Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte Hospital project in Rivers State,says members of the cabinet of former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, sabotaged the project.
Country representative of Clinotech, Ifeanyi Osemeke, disclosed this in Port Harcourt when he appeared before the Justice George Omereji-led Commission of Inquiry investigating the sale of valued assets of the State by the Amaechi administration.
It will be recalld that last week, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Sir Somiari Isaac, stated how Amaechi separately spent $30.2million and N3.49billion, totalling an estimated N9.530 billion, for the non-existent Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte Hospital.
Isaac told the commission that Amaechi’s administration had partnered Clinotech Diagnostic and Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Canada to build a 15-storey 1000-bed Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte Specialist Hospital, in 2008, but apart from an empty space of land at Igwuruta, nothing has been done so far
In his testimony, Clinotech's Osemeke said although, the former governor meant well for the people of the State by initiating the project, but he was misled by his aides who were driven by political motives to sabotage the project.
He stated that Amaechi lacked the faith, courage and grace to get the project completed, saying, "The then governor was to realize how wrong it was however, he lacked the faith, courage and even the grace to redress the decision four years down the line. If he is standing here, I will say it I blame him because the bulk stops on his table."
Meanwhile, the Commission of Inquiry completed its sitting yesterday with a warning that those who did not honour its invitation to defend their selves should not complain after of being denied fair hearing.
Counsel to the commission, Zaccheus Adangor, who stated this in his closing remarks, said the commission provided equal platform and opportunities to every one to defend himself at the investigation.
Adangor said, "Although, certain persons refused to attend to proceedings of this commission; the persons decided in the comfort of their bedrooms to question the legality of the commission even after a court of competent jurisdiction had ruled that we are competent to sit and attend to matters of this nature.
"I want to thank Rivers people for keeping faith with proceedings of this commission. When a man has refused to honour an invitation to defend himself, he should not be heard later to complain that he was denied fair hearing."
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