….ODU Global President, Alhaji Muideen Azeez Salako, Other Community Stakeholders Declare Support
The Senate Committee on Health today held a public hearing on the proposed Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Offa, Kwara State.
The project is championed by Deputy Senate Leader and Senator representing Kwara South, Arc. Oyelola Yisa Ashiru.
The hearing, which took place at the Senate Conference Hall 022, New Building, brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on the bill (SB. 311) seeking the establishment of the medical facility.
A memorandum of support for the bill was presented by the National President of Offa Descendants Union (ODU), Alhaji Muideen Azeez Salako, on behalf of Offa indigenes and the entire Kwara South Senatorial District.
In his submission, Alhaji Salako emphasized the urgent need for a tertiary healthcare facility in Kwara South, citing the overburdened and distant nature of existing medical institutions in the state.
The memorandum outlined the healthcare challenges in Kwara South and its bordering states—Ekiti, Kogi, Osun, and Oyo—highlighting the inadequacy of healthcare infrastructure in the region.
The three existing tertiary health institutions in Kwara State—University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, and Kwara State University Teaching Hospital—are all located in Kwara Central, leaving Kwara South without a single tertiary healthcare facility.
Salako stressed that many medical emergencies requiring tertiary care currently necessitate long travel times to Ilorin, which can take over two hours in critical situations.
This, he said, has contributed to high maternal and infant mortality rates, underscoring the urgent necessity of a Federal Medical Centre in Offa.
The ODU’s memorandum also referenced Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates the government to provide adequate healthcare services. The National Health Act (2014) further reinforces this obligation.
Beyond healthcare benefits, the establishment of the FMC Offa is expected to boost economic growth, create employment opportunities, and enhance access to specialized medical care in Kwara South and surrounding communities.
Implementation Plan and Recommendations
The memorandum proposed an immediate implementation plan, including:
Land acquisition for the hospital site.
Provision of a temporary facility for the medical centre’s swift takeoff.
Logistical and financial support to ensure a smooth operational launch.
The ODU urged the Senate to approve the bill, allocate necessary resources, and ensure its inclusion in the next Appropriation Bill for timely implementation.
The public hearing was attended by several prominent Offa indigenes and medical professionals, including:
Alhaji Muideen Azeez Salako (ODU National President)
Dr. Biodun Oladipo (ODU National Secretary)
Dr. Taofik Ige (Consultant Medical Physicist)
Dr. Lawal Lukman Ademola (Chairman, Offa Doctors)
Alhaji Azeez Bukoye (Retired Permanent Secretary, NASS)
Comrade Omuiyadun Ahmed (PA to Senator Ashiru)
Honourable Moshood Adeleke, Founder of The Moshood Adeleke (HMA) Foundation
Lawal Kayode (TeeKay)
Abdulsalam Sodiq Ayodeji (Habsalam)
Other members of the ODU Abuja Central, Kuje, Kwali, Garki, and other satellite areas were also present to lend their voices to the advocacy.
With the public hearing concluded, the bill will proceed to further legislative consideration, with expectations high for its passage. Stakeholders remain optimistic that the Federal Medical Centre Offa will soon become a reality, bringing quality healthcare and economic transformation to Kwara South.
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