An Edo State resident, Grace Amayo, has urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to fulfil his ₦2.5 billion pledge to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) for a modern paediatric complex, more than a year after the commitment was announced.
Amayo’s appeal followed the petrol tanker explosion at Oluku Market along the Benin-Lagos Highway on Thursday, October 15, 2026, which left several people with burn injuries and destroyed shops and property.
In a report published on Sunday, October 18, 2026, Daily Post said Amayo urged the governor to translate the pledge into a completed project, arguing that the incident had reinforced the need for stronger medical infrastructure.
Okpebholo announced the ₦2.5 billion grant on August 26, 2025, following an appeal by UBTH’s Chief Medical Director, Professor Idia Ize-Iyamu, for a modern paediatric centre.
The proposed complex was presented as a legacy project intended to strengthen specialised healthcare services for children in Edo State and surrounding communities.
However, Amayo expressed concern over the delay in implementing the project, saying the commitment should result in a functional facility rather than remain an announcement.
“The pledge should not remain a mere statement; it should become a completed legacy project that will serve generations of children,” she said, according to Daily Post.
The appeal has brought renewed attention to the state government’s commitment to the federally owned teaching hospital, particularly as UBTH continues to treat victims of the Oluku disaster.
The hospital received victims with severe burns following the explosion. According to PUNCH in its report of October 15, 2026, 11 people sustained varying degrees of burns, while UBTH mobilised its emergency and burns teams to stabilise those brought in for treatment.
The hospital’s management, led by Ize-Iyamu, coordinated the emergency response across its accident and emergency and burns units.
Amayo also commended the chief medical director for restoring UBTH’s Burns and Plastic Surgery Ward, describing the facility as crucial to the treatment of victims.
She said the restored ward demonstrated the value of investing in specialised medical facilities, particularly when emergencies place immediate demands on hospitals.
Okpebholo visited survivors receiving treatment at UBTH on Friday, October 16, 2026, accompanied by Senator Adams Oshiomhole and other government officials. In a statement published that day, the hospital said the governor received an update on the condition and recovery of the survivors.
The governor also promised to rebuild Oluku Market and support traders whose shops and goods were destroyed by the fire, according to reports by Channels Television and PUNCH on October 16, 2026.
The ₦2.5 billion hospital pledge has previously attracted criticism. The Coalition of Registered Political Parties in Edo State reportedly questioned the decision to commit state funds to a federal hospital, arguing that the government should also address shortcomings in state-owned hospitals and primary healthcare centres.
The controversy raises questions about the implementation of the pledge and the balance between supporting a major federal referral hospital serving the region and improving healthcare facilities directly managed by the state.
Separately, UBTH clarified in August 2026 that renovations to its paediatric outpatient clinic were funded through the hospital’s internally generated revenue. That project was distinct from the governor’s proposed ₦2.5 billion paediatric complex.
The status of the larger project remains central to Amayo’s appeal, as she called on the governor to follow through on his commitment and strengthen healthcare infrastructure in the state.
