Delta Community  Seeks Gov’s  Intervention to Upgrade Hospital

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

The people of the oil producing community of Polobubo (Tsekelewu) in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State have sent a save our soul( S.O.S). to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to urgently intervene in the seeming abandonment of the process of upgrading the Tsekelewu Cottage Hospital to a General Hospital as ordered by him.

They noted that recruitment of adequate and qualified workers for the “new hospital”, which was directed by the governor in line with the process of upgrading the facility to a general hospital status, has apparently also been stalled.

The petition asking Governor Oborevwori to immediately wade into the issue, and made available to THISDAY in Asaba, is titled, “Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community Jubilates over Tsekelewu Cottage Hospital Rehabilitation and Staff Recruitment Directive by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori –  Request for Full Implementation of Promise.”

In the petition the people  pleaded with the governor to ensure that their high hopes  as well as neighbouring communities at the prospect of having a befitting healthcare facility in the area to serve them were not dashed.

“We, the representatives of the good people of Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community of Warri North Local Government Area express our gratitude to you for the prompt response to our request to rrehabilitate and make the Tsekelewu cottage hospital functional. Your directive to take over the Tsekelewu cottage hospital, rehabilitate, recruit staff, and upgrade it to a General Hospital was met with jubilation and hope for quality healthcare in our great oil and gas producing community and the surrounding oil and gas producing riverine communities in Warri North LGA”, they observed. 

The statement, signed by Dr Bright Abulu (PhD), President-General, Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community and Rev. Clement Tiemo, Secretary-General, Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community, expressed grave concern about the seeming abandonment of the hospital at a time the people thought that relief had finally come with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s directive for its upgrade to a General Hospital. 

While expressing faith in the governor’s commitment to the project and health sector in the spirit of the M.O.R.E Agenda of his administration, the people appealed for swift intervention in order to effectively take over the Tsekelewu health facility and thereby restore hope to our people.

The statement read in part: “We are compelled to bring to your attention that despite your directive, little progress has been made in the rehabilitation and recruitment of staff to make the Tsekelewu Cottage Hospital functional. Therefore, Your Excellency, there is an urgent need for your intervention to save the lives of our people.

“Regrettably, despite three assessment visits (May 31, June 23, and July 11, 2025) by officials from the Delta State Ministries of Health, Housing, Works, and Water Resources to the Tsekelewu Cottage  Hospital based on your explicit directives, has not yielded significant progress on the rehabilitation and recruitment of staff for the Tsekelewu Cottage Hospital to make it functional, leaving our people vulnerable to avoidable deaths and suffering. 

“In addition, since the Delta State Contributory Pension Scheme withdrew its staff in July 2025 because of the transfer of the Tsekelewu Cottage Hospital to the Delta State Hospital Management Board for effective and efficient delivery of healthcare services to our suffering people, the hospital has been left unmanned, without even security personnel, exposing it to theft and vandalism.

“The lack of progress in the takeover of this hospital is exacerbating the healthcare crisis, and we fear that the situation will worsen in the days and weeks ahead if immediate action is not taken.

“We humbly plead with Your Excellency to intervene and expedite the takeover process, ensuring the rehabilitation, staffing, and equipping of the hospital to provide essential healthcare services and bring succour to our great oil and gas producing community (Tsekelewu) and other surrounding oil and gas producing communities in Warri North LGA.”