Rivers State Executive Council has deliberated and approved N74.9billion contracts for the reconstruction of the State House of Assembly Auditorium, construction of Kalaibiama/Epellema Road, and completion of four zonal hospitals across the State.
Also approved is the renovation of Bonny General Hospital; renovation and upgrade of Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Rumuigbo; as well as construction of new General Hospital at Rumuigbo in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State.
While the reconstruction of the demolished Assembly Auditorium in Port Harcourt will cost N19, 566, 621, 284.24; the Kalaibiama-Epellema Road and bridge in Opobo-Nkoro Local Government Area will gulp N29,035,907,233.76; just as the hospitals will cost N26,350,310, 714.88.
The Zonal Hospitals are located in Ahoada Town in Ahoada Local Government; Degema Town in Degema Local Government; Omoku Town in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government; and Bori Town in Khana Local Government Area.
The State Government said that it decided to complete the construction of the Zonal Hospitals in four Local Government Areas of the State in order to strengthen the secondary level healthcare service delivery to the people of the State.
At its meeting, presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and attended by Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu and other Council Members at Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday, approval was also given for the cancellation of all previous contracts awarded for the construction of those Zonal Hospitals.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, said the approval was sequel to the memos presented by the Ministry of Health to the State Executive Council.