By VINCENT UJUMADU, Awka

Facts have emerged that the reason the multimillion hospital project initiated by the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Professor Charles Soludo in memory of his late mother at his home town, Isuofia in Aguata local government area of Anambra State has not been finished after 12 years of commencement of construction was that most of the people who made pledges did not redeem them.

Despite the hiccup, few gigantic structures have been completed through personal efforts of Professor Soludo and there are indications that the hospital might serve as the teaching hospital for a university that would soon take off in Anambra State.

A public affairs analyst, Mr. Joe Anatune described as unfortunate, an attempt to politicize the hospital project by those who were already becoming jittery of Soludo’s popularity as the November 2021 governorship election approaches. Soludo is among those aspiring to govern Anambra State after the expiration of Governor Willie Obiano’s tenure in 2022.

Funny enough, the attack on Soludo came shortly after he made a donation of N10m in support of the Anambra State government’s fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to an allegation that Soludo collected N2 billion from donors and did not build the hospital, Anatune said: “In December 2008, at the memorial service of his late mother, Soludo announced a project to construct a Diagnostics Hospital, plus a Nursing School, in honour of his late mother who died during the civil war, probably due to poor medical services.

Professor Soludo announced that the project was estimated to cost N2 billion then. Several people in attendance made pledges, including a prominent Anambra politician who pledged to fund the construction of the Nursing School building, while a company pledged to construct the Diagnostics Building.

“The fact is that as at today, 98% of those pledges still remain what they were, pledges.

“As a responsible public servant who valued his integrity, Prof. Soludo did not use his office as CBN governor to start soliciting for fund. He left those who made pledges to their conscience and to redeem at their own convenience.

“We all remember the unprecedented global financial and economic crisis of 2008/2009 and the hardships faced by many individuals, companies and even banks at that time. Since Soludo left office later in 2009, he has repeatedly reminded those who made pledges and most of them have continued to indicate commitment to redeem their pledges, but are yet to do so.

“In spite of the disappointments, a magnificent 120-bed hospital building, together with doctors’ quarters building are standing at the hospital site, undergoing various stages of finishing. After waiting for years for those pledges to be redeemed, Prof. Soludo has used his wide networks and contacts to mobilize resources to embark on a hospital complex, even much bigger in scope than the original concept— for the benefit of Ndi Anambra and Nigeria.

“The hospital is to be managed by the church, and expected to possibly become a teaching hospital of one of the new universities.

According to Prof. Soludo, the actual contributors will be formally recognized during the official commissioning of the hospital,” Anatune hoped that with time, those sponsoring the publication of the falsehood would eat the humble pie and apologize to Prof. Soludo for their unnecessary propaganda.

He added: “The great Zik of Africa, Rt. Hon (Dr.) Nnamdi Azikiwe reminded us that in journalism, facts are sacred but comments are free. In this case, the sponsors of the publication manufactured both the facts and the comments, all in the name of politics.

Politicians who are afraid of Soludo know that they will not match him in the field when the time comes and that most Anambra people are yearning for him, hence their only game is to throw mud.

“They can neither match his scorecard in community, state, national, and international development, nor match his ideas and plans for the future. Unfortunately for them, this time, they cannot stop an act whose time has come and Ndi Anambra are ready for them.”

According to him, opposition politicians are already rattled by the public acclaim and goodwill towards Soludo and, therefore, needed to fabricate some mud.

Already, Soludo has said that he has forgiven those who lied against him on the hospital issue. (Vanguard)

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