News

UPTH Loses N1.8bn To Indigent, Run Away Patients …Performs First Successful IVF-ET, 39 Years After

Published

7 years ago

July 3, 2019

The authorities of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), in Rivers State, say they have lost about N1.8billion to indigent and ran away patients from the hospital after treatment.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof Henry Ugboma made the figures public during activities to mark his one year anniversary at the hospital complex, Alakahia, Port Harcourt, last weekend.
Ugboma said, “We lost over N1.8billion through various infractions. Out of this sum, we lost N1billion to indigent patients. We also lost N0.4billion to patients who absconded after treatment. We further lost N0.4billion to stealing by all categories of staff and related sharp practices”.
He said that over the years, one major challenge of the facility had been inadequate funding of capital projects, adding that, “this particularly explains the presence of abandoned projects, occasioned by national economic constraints”.
Nonetheless, he remarked that the hospital has made some progress in service delivery in all clinical and non-clinical areas, stressing that, recently, the Nuclear Medicine; Oncology and Fire Fighting departments were fortified and expanded.
Ugboma disclosed that by 2020, three more schools would be opened at the teaching hospital, and named them to include Post Basic Nursing and Opthalmic Nursing units.
So far, he submitted that its preparatory programme for foreign-trained doctors for their qualification has recorded huge success in the last one year with pass rate of over 85 per cent.
The UPTH chief medical director also lamented the lingering security challenges at the hospital in the past three months as hoodlums harass and steal from patients and staff.
“Our facility has been under attack in the last three months by hoodlums, who harass and dispossess patients, staff, students and passersby within the hospital environment”, Ugboma lamented.
Ugboma further said that when he assumed duty in January, 2018, he inherited a dire financial indebtedness from the former acting Chief Medical Director, Dr.Tobin West.
The CMD said he met unpaid salary and welfare arrears, debt burden for drug revolving fund and other 11 revolving fund projects, insisting that he met series of abandoned projects in the hospital by the predecessor.
Ugboma said on assumption of duty, he met unsatisfactory service delivery occasioned by general work apathy, staff indiscipline and lack of motivation and infighting amongst staff.
The excited CMD also said the hospital was poorly maintained when he took over, coupled with decay of infrastructure and long waiting hours for patients to be attended to by nurses and doctors.
According to him, “Poor and challenged staff, industrial disharmony, mutual distrust, disrespect remained the order of the day as staff indiscipline unabatedly soared”.
“The decay was rapid, progressive and unchallenged, the whole environment looked abandoned while mosquitoes fed fat on patients and staff alike”, Ugboma said.
He described inadequate funding of the hospital as a major setback by the federal government and appeal for adequate funding to improve the hospital.
UPTH, Ugboma said has improve in its mandate on research, training and health care delivery service to the people as the management had made some progress in area of manpower, staff welfares, infrastructural development and others.
He told The Tide that during his 365 days in office, over N600million has been paid out of all owed debt.
The hospital he said, had completed and commissioned the abandoned Regional Burns Centre, completed the Paediatrics complex and commissioned a new Central Laboratory Sample Collection Centre.
Ugboma told The Tide that under one year as the CMD, he had equipped the Assisted Reproductive Technology ART Unit of the hospital which had commenced service with the first baby given birth to through the In-Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer IVF – ET.
Other services rendered at the ART include Artificial Inseminations, intra-cytoplasmic Sperm Injection ICSI, Gamete and Embryo Donation and freezing by Cryopreservation and Surrogacy, Office hysterosocopy to look at the endometrial pathology.
It would be recalled that the UPTH originally began operations in 1980, but was later officially commissioned by the Federal Government in 1985.

Kevin Nengia & Chinedu Wosu

News

Be Patient With Us, Diri Tells Bayelsans … Inspects New 60mw IPP …Expresses Confidence In Technical Partners, BECL MD

Published

1 week ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has sued for patience on the ongoing installation of the state’s new independent power project.

The Tide gathered that the 60-megawatt gas turbine project, which installation commenced in October this year, was earlier scheduled to be completed by December but suffered logistics related delays.

The governor called on people of the state to have an open mind about the project, which he said now requires a new completion date due to unforeseen challenges.

?The Tide further reports that the State’s Chief Executive who undertook an on-the-spot-assessment of the project at Elebele in Ogbia Local Government Area on Wednesday, said like other citizens of the state, he was also disappointed that the December completion deadline could not be met.

However, he stated that his reaction to the delay had been that of understanding rather than being angry as had been noticed, particularly on the social media.

?”You can see I’ve gone round the whole facility. It was based on the working agreement and information available at my disposal that I gave the December date. But as it is with every human endeavor, we must all have an open mind, when it comes to issues, particularly technical matters like this.

?”I am as disappointed as any other Bayelsan because I believed that we were going to celebrate the 2025 Christmas with our own independent power, but it turned out not to be so.

?”I call on Bayelsans to have an open mind. These technical experts are working virtually 24 hours, but delays like this will certainly come”, he said.

He implored the people 9f the state to appreciate the work of the engineers, stressing that a minor mistake was capable of jeopardising the millions of dollars expended on the project.

?”For 29 years Bayelsa has been in darkness or has endured epileptic power supply. Now that we are getting close to the day of liberation, some people have become impatient.

“Let us not behave like the proverbial tortoise in the prison for years that asked to be released immediately as the place was smelling the moment he knew it would regain freedom the next day”, the governor added.

?The Bayelss Governor gave a thumps up to the technical partners, Jampur Group, and its team on ground as well as the Managing Director of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Ltd, Engr. Olice Kemenanabo, saying they were working round the clock to ensure the job was completed.

?”Those who have been following me on this inspection would know that work has not stopped even for one day since it started. I am sure the job is more than 90 per cent complete. So let us hold our fire.

“Engineer Olice, I am not putting you under any pressure. From the reports I have, Olice is one of the best electrical engineers in Nigeria”, governor Diri said.

The governor, however, hinted that the government was looking at inaugurating the project during its sixth anniversary in February.

The MD of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited, Kemenanabo, who also spoke, said the state was on the right track towards actualising the project and assured that the alignment of the entire system, including the gas generator and alternator were on course.

He also stated that the remaining two turbines would be delivered to the project site in a few days.

?Speaking on behalf of the Jampur Group, Mr. Sherrif Abu-Anif said the company was in good position to meet its own end of the bargain and appreciated the state government for playing its part very well.

By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

News

Akpabio Withdraws All Defamation Suits After Priest’s Sermon

Published

1 week ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has directed his lawyers to withdraw all ongoing defamation lawsuits against several individuals, saying he was moved by counsel during a New Year Mass.

Speaking at the Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo, yesterday, Akpabio said he had filed nearly nine lawsuits against individuals he accused of defaming him.

He said, “I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name.

“But I listened to the priest and suddenly realised he was talking to me, so I hereby direct my solicitor to withdraw all lawsuits against them.”

In 2025, Akpabio had filed several high-profile defamation lawsuits, including one against colleague Senator Natasha Akpoti?Uduaghan.

In late 2025, Akpabio filed a N200 billion defamation lawsuit against her over allegations of sexual harassment, which he denied and urged her to substantiate in court.

Earlier in the year, Akpabio’s wife also filed defamation suits against Akpoti?Uduaghan over claims she said had harmed her family’s reputation.

Relations between the two lawmakers soured after Akpoti?Uduaghan accused Akpabio of influencing her suspension from the Senate in March 2025, following her public allegations of misconduct.

The Senator had previously challenged actions taken against her in court, including a N100 billion defamation suit she filed against Akpabio and other defendants over alleged remarks that she said damaged her reputation.

With yesterday’s announcement, Akpabio has formally ended all pending legal disputes arising from defamation claims, signalling closure to the publicised litigations as the year begins.

News

‘Best Way To Show Gratitude Is To Deliver Tinubu in 2027’

Published

1 week ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the best form of gratitude Rivers people owe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for protecting the interest of the State is to galvanize massive support for the President in 2027.

Fubara disclosed this last Monday during the commissioning of Permanent Secretaries Quarters built by his administration at Elimgbu in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the State.

He said that the State has what it takes to deliver the President during the 2027 general elections.

“We’ve taken a decision,our decision is for the good of Rivers State, our decision is to say thank you for the protection we have from Mr President, our decision is to prove that we have what it takes to deliver Mr President.”

Fubara expressed delight over the completion of the project, stating that the initiative was to provide accommodation, a basic need of life for public servants in the state to improve their productivity.

He explained that lack of effective social welfare was at the root of some incriminating actions that undermine the purpose of governance, noting that the commissioning of the newly built Permanent Secretaries Quarters marks a significant milestone in civil service welfare and institutional development.

“Insecurity begins when individuals are uncertain of what the next hour holds. This situation is especially challenging for family men and women, affecting confidence and decision-making,” he observed.

Fubara emphasized the need for proper maintenance of the facility and urged the beneficiaries to protect the project like a personal property, while directing the State Head of Service to appoint a facility manager to ensure long-term maintenance.

In her remarks, the Special Guest of Honour and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who unveiled the project, expressed appreciation to the governor and Rivers State for inviting her to commission the project.

She commended Fubara for prioritizing the welfare of Permanent Secretaries who are senior public servants and accounting officers, noting that the project reflects purposeful and visionary leadership, and urged other states to borrow a cue from the Rivers State Governor.

Walson-Jack described the initiative as a strategic investment in staff welfare and institutional continuity which she noted is in line with Renewed Hope Initiative on provision of mass housing and social stability.

“The commissioning of these houses reflect a deliberate commitment to the dignity, welfare, and productivity of senior public servants responsible for policy coordination and service delivery,” she said.

In his goodwill message, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibode Bashiru, who led a high powered delegation on a visit to the governor, congratulated Rivers people for aligning with the Pan Nigerian political party, assuring that the interest of Rivers State will be duly protected in the APC.

He described President Bola Tinubu as a detribalised Nigerian who anchors his leadership on equity, fairness and justice, adding that the APC will provide a level playing ground for all.

The APC chief scribe also commended Fubara for providing good accommodation for public servants, stating that it will address issues of sabotage, compromise and disloyalty on the part of public servants.

Giving the project description, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Works, Dr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart, said the estate comprises 29 units, including nine standalone duplexes and 20 terrace buildings.

Facilities feature a water treatment plant, synchronized power generators, CCTV and alarm systems, a gym, recreational areas, and green spaces—designed to enhance comfort, performance, and productivity.

Earlier, the Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr Mrs Inyingi Brown, had thanked the governor for his visionary initiative and unwavering commitment to the welfare of Rivers State Civil Servants, and restated the commitment of the State civil servants to the success of Fubara’s administration.

By: Taneh Beemene