By Monday Danladi
Bauchi State Commissioner of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Sani Mohammed Dambam, has expressed satisfaction with the level of work so far done in the upgrade of the Alkaleri General Hospital, commending the contractor for doing a good job.
The Commissioner led the management team of the Ministry to inspect and monitor progress of the brand new 200-capacity Accident and Emergency Section of the Hospital as well as the perimeter fencing of the entire area.
Sani Mohammed Dambam expressed satisfaction with the quality of work so far, noting that the contractor, SDK General Construction Company, has achieved approximately 70 percent completion.
He stressed that the development is part of Governor Bala Mohammed efforts at strengthening Healthcare Infrastructure across the State.
According to him, "The Bauchi State Government, led by Governor Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has intensified efforts to modernize the Alkaleri General Hospital, one of the State’s key medical institutions serving thousands across the Southern Zone and neighbouring states as well as travellers on the road."
He, however, urged the firm to accelerate efforts to ensure timely delivery before the end of the year so that it can be put to use considering the volume of people who need medical services in the area.
He reaffirmed the administration’s determination to reposition the State’s health sector through improved infrastructure, enhanced service delivery, and equitable access to healthcare across all local government areas.
According to him, “Governor Bala Mohammed has placed the health of our people at the center of his development agenda. This project reflects his vision of making modern healthcare accessible to every citizen, regardless of location.”
The Commissioner stated that, "The Alkaleri General Hospital upgrade forms part of a wider statewide hospital revitalization programme, which includes renovation, equipping, and expansion of key health facilities to meet modern medical standards."
He assured that, "Upon completion, the hospital will feature advanced emergency response facilities, expanded wards, and improved diagnostic capacity, significantly enhancing healthcare delivery for residents of Alkaleri and neighboring communities."
Sani Mohammed Dambam stressed that, "The ongoing transformation of the Alkaleri General Hospital underscores Governor Bala Mohammed’s broader policy thrust on human capital development, anchored on the principle that a healthy population is the foundation for sustainable growth and prosperity in Bauchi State."
Speaking earlier, the Director Personnel, Research and Statistics (DPRS), stated that,"We are here in Alkaleri to supervise or to inspect the ongoing contract awarded to Messrs SDK Generale, for the construction of ultra-modern accident and emergency section at General Hospital Alkaleri."
According to him, "The date of award of the contract was in 2022, with the total award amount amounting to N407,500,000. The amount paid so far, N252,000,000 with a balance of N155,000,000 from the initial contract sum. And the variation approved is N183,888,260."
The DPRS added that,"Then, the expected date of completion, based on the contract agreement, is a reasonable time from the date of down payment. But according to the State Executive Council, it was given directly that all contracts should be completed before the 31st of August 2025. And the level of completion can be as heard from the Engineer, the percentage of completion."
In his remarks, the Contractors represented by Sadiq Usman, assured that the project will be completed and handed over by the end of the year 2025.
He also assured that quality job will be delivered as contained in the contract papers and specifications urging for timely release of funds in order to hasten completion.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sani Mohammad Dambam, led a high-powered delegation comprising the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, the Ministry’s Information Officer, and other senior officials to inspect the ongoing renovation and construction works at the hospital.
The visit focused on evaluating progress on the newly constructed ultra-modern Accident and Emergency Complex, a critical component of the broader hospital upgrade.
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