A former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Chief Blessing Agbomhere, has asked Governor Godwin Obaseki to halt sale of Benin Central Hospital and Edo State Library complexes.
Both buildings located along the Benin-Sapele Road have been pulled down.
The state government said it planned to build a motor park in place of the hospital built in 1920 and shopping mall at the premises where the Library used to be located.
Chief Agbomhere in a statement on Sunday, said the Central Hospital provided affordable medical care to the people of Edo State and the Edo State Library served as an harbinger as well as a reservoir of knowledge to thousands of Edo sons and daughters.
Agbomhere stated that students and researchers visited the library for intellectual mechanical panel-beating, mental overhauling, academic and educational growth cum advancement.
He said there were plethora of unoccupied lands in underdeveloped areas which the State Government could take over for the purpose of erecting various structures, thereby opening and building a new Benin Metropolis to decongest an already jam-packed city.
According to him, “A pivotal question that begs for answer at this stage is: of what essence is a supermarket or a museum to the Edo people, placing same juxtapositionally with the Library and Hospital?
“While it is laudable and highly commendable that you have thought it wise and necessary to establish for the people of the state a supermarket and a museum, I wish to draw your attention to the obvious fact that these projects can still be aptly commenced and executed without the sell off of these prime assets of our state, notwithstanding the high-level menace and public nuisance your acts will constitute to the generality of Edo people, and users of the federal road.
“More so, Your Excellency, it is indisputably factual that ” an elder should not sell an inheritance to create wealth, he can only create wealth when he enters into the forest to create a new home.
“I do therefore solemnly appeal to you, Your Excellency to desist from selling these treasured structures of the state and take necessary steps to even preserve and conserve them for the educational growth and health of the people of our dear State who would stand highly threatened if these acts are carried out.”
