Presidency Blames Obaseki for Struggles in Establishing Benin Fistula Centre

The Presidency has described how Godwin Obaseki, the previous Governor of Edo State, hampered the development of a National Obstetrics Fistula Centre in Benin City, the state capital.
Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, stated that President Bola Tinubu made the admission during the signing of a memorandum of agreement for the state’s center.
Tinubu’s delegation, led by Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare Ishaq Salako, signed the MoU at the State Government House.
According to him, the National Obstetrics Fistula Centre was constructed in Benin City in May 2023, shortly before President Tinubu took office.

“The then-Edo State government, led by Godwin Obaseki, did not cooperate with the central.

“We toiled from May 2023 to November 2024 before you became the Governor of Edo State, but in approximately three months, we accomplished what we couldn’t in 24 months.

“Thank you, administration. We appreciate your help in securing a temporary center in Benin City so that we can commence operations.

“His Excellency has also reserved 24 hectares of land for the permanent facility. You have shown that you are a political son of the President who prioritizes healthcare at the federal level while simultaneously doing so in Edo State,” he remarked.

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The President acknowledged that fistula is a major health issue and stated that Nigeria has the world’s greatest number of fistula cases.

According to him, the government records approximately 12,000 cases of the condition each year.

He went on to say that fistula is not only a medical disease, but also a social and psychological one, as some people who have it commit suicide.

The President stated that the Federal Government has developed a free fistula management program that also offers social support and rehabilitation.