Oluku tanker explosion: Edo citizen urges Okpebholo to fulfil N2.5bn UBTH pledge

More than a year after Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo pledged ₦2.5 billion to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, for the construction of a paediatric complex, a concerned citizen has urged him to fulfil the promise.

DAILY POST recalls that Okpebholo made the pledge on August 26, 2025, following an appeal by the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Professor Idia Ize-Iyamu, for the construction of a modern paediatric centre.

While approving the grant, the governor vowed that his administration would not play politics with the health of children, describing the proposed centre as a legacy project for Edo State and Nigeria.

He also promised that the state government would work with the management of UBTH to ensure that the project met international standards.

However, more than a year after the pledge, construction of the centre is yet to begin, with no groundbreaking ceremony held.

Worried by the delay and last Thursday’s petroleum tanker explosion at Oluku Market along the Benin-Lagos Expressway, an Edo State resident, Mrs Grace Amayo, has urged the governor to fulfil his promise by commencing construction of the centre.

Amayo, who spoke to journalists in Benin City at the weekend, said the incident had underscored the need for improved medical infrastructure.

She urged Okpebholo to redeem his pledge, noting that the project was vital to the future of healthcare in the region.

According to her, the specialised facility would significantly improve paediatric care and provide a suitable healing environment for vulnerable children.

“I want to appeal to the governor to see the project through to completion. The pledge should not remain a mere statement; it should become a completed legacy project that will serve generations of children.

“Children deserve more than promises, and UBTH deserves the infrastructure required to serve them effectively. Prof. Ize-Iyamu has shown that she is ready to work for the people. Her resourcefulness and commitment should be supported by sustained government investment.

“The restored Burns and Plastic Surgery Ward demonstrates what purposeful leadership can achieve, while the proposed Paediatric Complex offers an opportunity to build something even more enduring.

“For years, the burns ward, originally built by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), had languished in neglect. A facility meant to treat burn victims had itself become a symbol of abandonment.

“Without waiting for another committee or appeal, Prof. Ize-Iyamu directed that the ward be remodelled and restored to a standard befitting a modern Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit. The CMD’s vision for the facility was immediately turned into reality.

“Then came the Oluku fuel tanker tragedy on Thursday. The tanker explosion along the Benin-Lagos Highway brought the reality of mass casualties and severe burns into sharp focus. As victims were evacuated to UBTH, the restored ward became more than a renovated facility; it became a lifeline,” she said.

Amayo maintained that investing in robust medical infrastructure was essential to sustainable development and protecting the well-being of residents across Edo State.

DAILY POST reports that Okpebholo, accompanied by Senator Adams Oshiomhole and other government officials, visited UBTH on Friday, October 16, 2026, to see survivors of the tanker explosion receiving treatment.

During the visit, the Chief Medical Director briefed the delegation on the patients’ conditions and recovery, including those among the first 11 victims admitted after the incident.

Oluku tanker explosion: Edo citizen urges Okpebholo to fulfil N2.5bn UBTH pledge