FMC Yenagoa Seeks FG’s Intervention, Bemoans Non-release of Funds for Capital Projects,

Dr. James Enimi Omietimi, the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has expressed worry over the non-release of the 2025 capital allocation for the centre. This delay, according to Omietimi, has negatively affected the ongoing projects and the overall functioning of the medical facility. He made this appeal while receiving the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) team that was conducting a physical verification of selected Federal Government projects in the South-south region.

The FRC team, led by Mr. Bede Ogueri Anyanwu, visited the Yenagoa FMC as part of their ongoing exercise to check the implementation status of capital projects funded by the Federal Government. According to a FRC statement, Omietimi highlighted that the delay in the release of the 2025 capital funds has made it challenging for the centre to sustain its work on the ongoing projects.

This predicament, he noted, has also made the institution more vulnerable to operational issues, hindering its capacity to deliver the expected level of healthcare services to Bayelsa State and neighbouring communities.

Omietimi emphasized that the current realities in managing a tertiary healthcare institution are far from the ideal, and the centre has been grappling with financial constraints. He also noted a changing attitude among some residents towards conventional medicine, with some patients opting for traditional medicine practitioners before seeking professional medical attention.

Omietimi stated that many patients only return to the FMC Yenagoa when their health conditions have worsened and they require advanced medical care. He appealed to the Federal Government to urgently intervene by ensuring timely release of capital allocations, enabling the institution to complete its projects and provide effective healthcare services.

Anyanwu, the leader of the FRC verification team, explained that the mission of the FRC was to ensure the transparency, accountability, and prudent management of public funds, as stipulated in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007. The team's visit to the FMC Yenagoa was not intended to persecute the management but to ascertain the actual implementation of the projects and identify any challenges affecting their progress.

Anyanwu emphasized that their presence at the centre was part of the commission's statutory responsibility and aimed to establish the facts on the ground regarding the utilization of released funds and the achievement of the intended objectives of the approved projects.