The Kwara State Government has handed over the State Civil Service Hospital to the contractor for immediate reconstruction and upgrades aimed at enhancing service delivery for the community.
In a statement, Falade Gbenga, Press Secretary for the Ministry of Health, noted that the handover ceremony took place in Ilorin on Tuesday.
The State Commissioner for Health, Amina El-Imam, emphasised that the expansion is necessary to manage the increased patient traffic to the hospital, particularly following the elevation of the Ilorin General Hospital to a tertiary healthcare facility.
El-Imam confirmed that the contractor has been mobilized and is expected to commence work on-site shortly.
The handover ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Segun Ogunsola, the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development; Raheem Abdulbaqi, General Manager of the State Public Procurement Agency; Afsat Nike Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health; and Elio Khowiy, a representative from Craneburg Construction Nigeria.
“Today, we are witnessing the handing over of the Civil Service Clinic from the Ministry of Health to the contractor, Craneburg Construction Nigeria, for a complete revamp. It is going to be a massive project that will contain a lot of amenities to deliver top-notch health services to the people of Kwara State and beyond.
“This project means an elevation of the Civil Service Clinic to the standard that the people of Kwara deserve. It is a centrally located facility that has over the years serviced people and provided them with good healthcare. However, the demand has outstripped its capacity.
“Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in his typical style, decided that rather than erecting small rooms, the hospital needed to be completely overhauled and upgraded.”
The Commissioner announced that the new civil service hospital will deliver state-of-the-art healthcare services to the community, particularly benefiting residents of GRA, Fate, Tanke, Basin, Gaa Akanbi, and Sango, among other areas.
She elaborated that the transformation of Ilorin General Hospital into the State University Teaching Hospital has created gaps in secondary healthcare services, underscoring the urgent need for revitalization of the civil service hospital.
Ogunsola added, “This project will establish a modern facility to address the health challenges faced by our residents in Kwara. We have engaged a reliable and skilled contractor who is committed to meeting both the completion timeline and the highest standards of quality.”
Elio Khowiy, a representative from Craneburg, emphasised their dedication to maintaining rigorous standards throughout the construction process, stating that the first phase of the project is set to be completed within 18 months.
He further noted that the timely completion of the initial phase will enable the facility to commence operations effectively, while subsequent phases of construction will continue.
