From a distance, the OAU Primary Health Centre in Ojoku, Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State, appeared newly constructed when PREMIUM TIMES returned to the ability on 6 May 2026.
Its blue-and-white exterior had been painted, the roof was in place, and doorways and home windows had been fitted.
But a more in-depth inspection revealed indicators of unfinished work. The clinic was locked, with no well being staff or sufferers in sight. No scientific providers had been being supplied.
PREMIUM TIMES had first visited the ability in December 2025 and located that it was not offering scientific providers.
Aminu Nuhu, head of the Department of Health Services, Ankpa Local Government Council, recognized OAU PHC Ojoku as one of six amenities chosen for revitalisation within the council space.
He mentioned the council was nonetheless trying to find well being staff to deploy to some of the revitalised amenities.
“Those that have been revitalised, we are looking for staff to put in those facilities,” he mentioned.
However, the absence of personnel was not the one drawback.
Mr Nuhu mentioned a borehole had been drilled on the facility but couldn’t provide water as a result of there was no electrical energy or photo voltaic set up to energy the pump.
“They have completed it, but we are expecting them to put it into operation,” he mentioned.
Nearly 5 months after the primary go to, PREMIUM TIMES returned to the ability and located that scientific providers had nonetheless not commenced.
A safety guard on the facility mentioned there was no medical tools inside.
“There is nothing inside,” he mentioned. “It’s just the building.”
The state of affairs at OAU PHC Ojoku was among the many issues uncovered throughout a months-long PREMIUM TIMES investigation into the Kogi State authorities’s multibillion-naira major healthcare revitalisation programme.
The investigation examined whether or not the federal government’s funding had translated into practical well being amenities succesful of delivering important providers to residents.
It discovered unfinished rehabilitation work, insufficient staffing, lack of primary infrastructure and well being staff working from non permanent lodging, regardless of the federal government’s announcement that dozens of amenities had been revitalised and commissioned.
The N7 billion promise
In January 2025, the Kogi State authorities introduced that it had dedicated over N7 billion, with assist from the World Bank, to upgrade 88 PHCs throughout the state’s 21 LGAs.
The announcement was made through the formal handover of venture websites to contractors on the Model PHC in Felele, Lokoja.
Governor Ahmed Ododo, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Abdulazeez Adams, mentioned the intervention would contribute to the upgrading of greater than 150 PHCs into practical Level 2 amenities.
The contractors had been directed to finish the initiatives inside 4 months.
On 7 November 2025, the state authorities announced the commissioning of 80 revitalised PHCs.
Muazu Musa, government director of the Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, mentioned the amenities had been reworked from Level 1 to Level 2.
Under the federal authorities’s 2025 HOPE-PHC Programme Operations Manual, practical Level 2 PHCs are anticipated to provide 24-hour well being providers, together with primary emergency obstetric and neonatal care.
The programme’s verification framework additionally covers the provision of expert delivery attendants, dependable electrical energy or backup solar energy, practical bathrooms with water and entry to scrub water.
These necessities are meant to make sure that upgraded amenities can provide important healthcare providers past enhancements to their bodily buildings.
However, the Kogi State Government didn’t provide PREMIUM TIMES with the whole listing of the 80 amenities it introduced as commissioned.
As a outcome, the newspaper couldn’t independently set up whether or not the amenities inspected through the investigation had been amongst these formally commissioned.
Following the cash: N6.09 billion in 4 contracts
A overview of Kogi State procurement disclosures revealed 4 infrastructure contracts overlaying 88 PHCs.
The contracts had a mixed worth of N6.1 billion and had been awarded to Multi Purpose Errand Mens Services Ltd, QSA Nigeria Ltd, Inknuel Ltd and Base-SAN Ventures Nigeria Ltd.
The data confirmed that N5.5 billion, representing roughly 90.6 per cent of the mixed contract worth, had been recorded as paid to the 4 contractors.
PREMIUM TIMES couldn’t independently confirm the funds in opposition to financial institution statements or authorities treasury data. The figures are due to this fact described as quantities recorded ‘as paid’ within the procurement disclosure.
The procurement data additionally revealed a discrepancy within the geographical protection of the contracts.
Although the state authorities mentioned the intervention coated all 21 LGAs, the descriptions of the 4 contract tons recognized solely 20 distinct LGAs.
Kogi LGA, whose headquarters is Koton-Karfe, was not listed in any of the 4 tons.
This doesn’t essentially imply the LGA was excluded from the intervention. However, with out the whole listing of the 88 beneficiary amenities, PREMIUM TIMES couldn’t decide whether or not the omission occurred within the procurement abstract or mirrored the precise distribution of the initiatives.
The mixed contract worth of N6.1 billion was additionally decrease than the federal government’s introduced dedication of over N7 billion.
The accessible data didn’t clarify what further actions or expenditures accounted for the distinction.
Separately, the state’s 2025 fourth-quarter Budget Implementation Report recorded a remaining finances of N8.205 billion for the broader Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) programme.
The report confirmed year-to-date expenditure of roughly N7.818 billion.
However, the IMPACT programme covers actions past the 4 infrastructure contracts. Its expenditure can’t due to this fact be handled as the quantity spent particularly on the 88 PHC rehabilitation initiatives.
The data accessible to PREMIUM TIMES didn’t reconcile these figures.
Questions over Lot D contractor
One of the contracts, recognized as Lot D, was awarded to Base-SAN Ventures Nigeria Ltd for work overlaying 23 PHCs throughout Ankpa, Olamaboro, Omala, Ofu, Dekina, Ibaji and Bassa LGAs.
The procurement disclosure recorded roughly N1.069 billion as paid below the contract.
During a follow-up go to to PHC Ankpa, PREMIUM TIMES discovered a venture signboard figuring out “BASESAN VENTURE NIG LTD” because the contractor accountable for upgrading the ability.
The variation between the corporate title on the signboard and the title within the procurement disclosure raised questions in regards to the contractor’s exact authorized id.
Separately, publicly accessible company info reviewed by PREMIUM TIMES recognized BASESAN Ventures Limited, with registration quantity RC 822294, and listed an individual named “Sanni Eggidi A” as an individual with important management.
The newspaper couldn’t independently set up whether or not BASESAN Ventures Limited, Base-SAN Ventures Nigeria Ltd and the corporate named on the venture signboard had been the identical authorized entity or associated corporations.
PREMIUM TIMES subsequently contacted Sanni Abdulraheem, the member representing Ajaokuta Federal Constituency within the House of Representatives, in search of clarification on whether or not he had any connection to BASESAN Ventures Limited.
The similarity between the title within the company info and that of the lawmaker doesn’t set up that they seek advice from the identical particular person.
The newspaper additionally sought clarification on the connection between the businesses and requested data regarding the 23 PHCs coated by Lot D, together with their authorized scopes of work, completion standing and inspection and certification paperwork.
The lawmaker’s response has not been obtained as of publication.
Missing data, unanswered questions
Beyond the discrepancies in contract values and geographical protection, the procurement disclosure didn’t determine all 88 PHCs individually.
It additionally didn’t specify the authorized scope of work, contract worth or cost standing for every facility.
The state authorities didn’t provide PREMIUM TIMES with the whole listing of the 80 PHCs introduced as commissioned in November 2025.
Without these paperwork, it was not possible to match the amenities coated by the contracts with these introduced as accomplished and commissioned.
The absence of facility-level inspection experiences and completion certificates additionally prevented impartial verification of what was authorized, delivered, and licensed at particular person venture websites.
These gaps don’t, on their very own, set up diversion of funds or failure to execute the contracts. They do, nonetheless, restrict public scrutiny of the federal government’s claims in regards to the intervention.
Between December 2025 and September 2026, PREMIUM TIMES inspected and revisited well being amenities throughout Ankpa, Lokoja and Ajaokuta LGAs.
The newspaper interviewed well being staff, residents, and authorities officers; examined venture signboards; and reviewed procurement and finances paperwork.
The findings concern amenities that native officers or site-level proof linked to the state intervention.
PHCC Ankpa: providers operating, issues persist
At the Primary Health Care Centre in Ankpa (PHCC Ankpa), scientific providers had been ongoing when PREMIUM TIMES first visited.
The facility supplied antenatal care, routine immunisation, household planning, outpatient consultations and supply providers.
Momo Oneshona, the officer-in-charge, mentioned the centre may obtain as many as 70 sufferers on Mondays for immunisation, antenatal care and normal consultations.
However, the ability confronted important operational challenges.
Health staff mentioned there was no operating water, grid electrical energy or solar energy for normal operations.
The accessible photo voltaic set up served the vaccine fridges.
“We don’t have solar, we don’t have water here, we don’t have light,” Mrs Oneshona mentioned.
She defined that staff sterilised reusable devices by boiling them over gasoline or atypical stoves.
During the preliminary inspection, the laboratory was padlocked and appeared dusty.
The facility additionally confronted workers shortages.
“We have a shortage of staff,” Mrs Oneshona mentioned. “They retire; no replacement.”
She estimated that about seven staff had been actively offering providers, together with three Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) and two Junior CHEWS.
According to Mrs Oneshona, the scarcity of personnel and absence of a safety guard meant the ability couldn’t function in a single day.
This fell brief of the 24-hour service expectations for practical Level 2 PHCs.
Contractors left unfinished work
Beyond the operational challenges, PREMIUM TIMES noticed an unfinished constructing present process rehabilitation inside the facility’s compound.
Doors and window frames had been eliminated and piled inside, while openings within the partitions and roof remained uncovered.
“They scattered our place and went away,” Mrs Oneshona mentioned. “We only saw them working, then they departed.”
Mr Nuhu, the Ankpa LGA well being official, confirmed that PHCC Ankpa was amongst six amenities chosen for revitalisation.
He mentioned development staff left the venture between December 2025 and January 2026 and had not returned by the point of the newspaper’s preliminary inspection.
Of the six amenities, he recognized PHC Emekutu as the one one he thought of totally accomplished on the time of his interview.
Mr Nuhu additionally described broader staffing challenges throughout Ankpa LGA.
He estimated that the council had 68 functioning PHCs but solely about 50 to 55 per cent of the personnel required to function them successfully.
According to him, 12 amenities relied fully on volunteers, while six or seven retired well being staff had been retained to maintain providers operating.
Laboratory affected by rainwater
When PREMIUM TIMES returned to PHCC Ankpa on 28 September 2026, the laboratory was accessible.
Rain had fallen shortly earlier than the go to.
Water was seen on sections of the laboratory ground, while damp and discoloured patches appeared on components of the partitions.
A venture signboard on the facility recognized the work because the “Upgrading of Primary Health Care Centre Ankpa – Ankpa LGA”.
It named Kogi State IMPACT Project 2024 because the consumer and listed “BASESAN VENTURE NIG LTD” because the contractor.
The procurement disclosure individually recognized Base-SAN Ventures Nigeria Ltd because the contractor for Lot D, overlaying 23 PHCs throughout seven LGAs.
Although the signboard linked PHCC Ankpa to the IMPACT venture, PREMIUM TIMES couldn’t get hold of the ability’s authorized scope of work, valuation, cost data or completion certificates.
Lokongoma PHC: Renovation adopted by extra development
At PHC Lokongoma, in Lokoja, native well being officers linked the ability to the state’s revitalisation programme.
When PREMIUM TIMES visited on 13 May 2026, the centre had a brand new perimeter fence, a paved compound, freshly painted partitions and pink roofing.
However, the gate was locked when the reporter arrived at roughly 5:45 p.m.
A close-by store proprietor mentioned well being staff usually left between 2 p.m. and three p.m.
According to the resident, the clinic supplied antenatal care, deliveries, routine immunisation and therapy for minor diseases when open.
PREMIUM TIMES didn’t get hold of the ability’s obligation roster to independently confirm its working hours.
The resident additionally mentioned the clinic had been renovated lower than a 12 months earlier.
Subsequent photographs confirmed that development actions continued after the May inspection.
Images dated 9 July 2026 confirmed work on sections of the pink roof, further buildings and paving.
By 20 July, additional photographs confirmed blue roofing, extra buildings and extra paving.
The photographs set up that additional work happened after the May go to.
However, PREMIUM TIMES couldn’t decide whether or not providers continued throughout development or whether or not the successive works shaped half of the identical venture.
The accessible data additionally didn’t set up what every spherical of development coated, who financed it or whether or not the work had been inspected and licensed.
Ganaja PHC: Eight years at school school rooms
At Ganaja, in Ajaokuta LGA, well being staff had been nonetheless offering healthcare providers from two borrowed school rooms inside UBE Standard College when PREMIUM TIMES visited.
Local well being officers linked the ability to the state’s revitalisation programme.
Health staff mentioned flooding had compelled them to desert their authentic constructing practically eight years earlier.
Since then, that they had been working from the non permanent lodging.
“We were on the other side before, but flood covered that place,” the Officer-in-Charge, recognized as Ms Aminu, mentioned. “We are just managing this place as a temporary site.”
Across the street from the varsity, the previous PHC confirmed indicators of extended abandonment.
Vegetation had overtaken components of the compound, while refuse had amassed across the deteriorating constructing.
Inside the varsity, one classroom served as an workplace and session room.
Medical provides, vaccine carriers, desks, chairs and affected person data occupied the restricted area.
The association constrained the providers well being staff may provide.
Ms Aminu mentioned the lecture rooms couldn’t accommodate affected person admissions or maternity providers.
She estimated that roughly 10 staff had been hooked up to the ability but mentioned there was no midwife.
As a outcome, pregnant ladies requiring supply providers had been referred elsewhere.
Ms Aminu mentioned a alternative PHC was being constructed elsewhere in Ganaja.
She estimated that the venture was about 70 per cent full.
However, PREMIUM TIMES couldn’t independently confirm the estimate as a result of the reporter couldn’t find and examine the development web site.
Ms Aminu couldn’t provide sufficiently exact instructions, and nobody was accessible to accompany the reporter.
She additionally couldn’t provide a completion date or point out when well being staff would relocate.
When PREMIUM TIMES returned in September 2026, the clinic was nonetheless working from the varsity school rooms.
Nearly eight years after flooding displaced the unique facility, well being staff and sufferers had been nonetheless ready for a everlasting constructing.
The state of affairs additionally raised questions on whether or not the alternative venture had adequately thought of the flooding that compelled the relocation.
PREMIUM TIMES didn’t set up the trigger of the unique flooding or attribute it particularly to local weather change.
The paperwork reviewed didn’t embody a flood-risk, environmental or climate-vulnerability evaluation exhibiting what safeguards had been integrated into the alternative venture.
Commissioned, but had been the amenities prepared?
The Kogi State authorities’s November 2025 announcement that 80 PHCs had been commissioned advised substantial progress in its healthcare revitalisation programme.
However, findings from amenities inspected by PREMIUM TIMES revealed gaps between infrastructure growth and the supply of practical healthcare providers.
At OAU PHC Ojoku, a newly painted constructing remained with out scientific providers throughout follow-up visits.
At PHCC Ankpa, sufferers continued receiving care regardless of unfinished rehabilitation work, staffing shortages and insufficient water and electrical energy provide.
At Lokongoma, further development was documented months after an earlier renovation.
At Ganaja, well being staff continued working from college school rooms while awaiting a everlasting facility.
Local officers or site-level proof linked these amenities to the state’s intervention.
However, as a result of the whole commissioning listing was unavailable, PREMIUM TIMES couldn’t set up whether or not any of the 4 amenities was among the many 80 introduced as commissioned.
The newspaper additionally couldn’t get hold of facility-level inspection experiences or completion certificates exhibiting what had been assessed and licensed earlier than commissioning.
These gaps depart essential questions unanswered in regards to the standards used to declare amenities prepared, the work accomplished at particular person websites and whether or not the upgrades translated into the providers anticipated of Level 2 PHCs.
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Government fails to provide venture data
PREMIUM TIMES sought explanations and supporting paperwork from the Kogi State authorities earlier than finishing the investigation.
On 15 May 2026, the newspaper submitted written requests below Nigeria’s Freedom of Information Act 2011 to the Kogi State Ministry of Health and the Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency.
The requests sought a listing of PHCs; details of revitalisation and infrastructure initiatives; the identities of beneficiary amenities and contractors; contract sums; venture standing; Basic Health Care Provision Fund disbursements; staffing info; and facility operational data.
The newspaper adopted up by phone calls and WhatsApp messages with the Commissioner for Health and Aisha Mohammed, who recognized herself as secretary and private assistant to the manager director of the State’s major healthcare company.
When the requests didn’t produce substantive responses, PREMIUM TIMES contacted the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo.
The newspaper knowledgeable him of the excellent requests and requested him to reply on behalf of the federal government or assist get hold of solutions from the related businesses.
Calls, WhatsApp messages and a textual content message had been despatched to Mr Fanwo, together with a reminder that the report was being finalised and that the federal government’s response may nonetheless be included.
By publication time, the state authorities had not supplied the whole schedule of the 88 amenities, the listing of 80 commissioned PHCs, facility-level scopes of work, inspection experiences or completion certificates.
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