By Jethro Ibileke

Mr. Umoru Imokha Abdulahi, whose wife and newborn daughter were detained at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) over inability to pay their bill, has dismissed reports claiming that Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, facilitated their discharge from the Hospital after paying their outstanding bills.

It would be recalled that Mrs Umoru and the newborn daughter she had through Caesarean Section, were detained for 21 days by the management of UBTH over their inability to pay their bills.

The distraught father was asked to pay additional sum of ₦330,000 by the UBTH management, after his initial deposit of ₦200,000, before he could take his wife and baby home.

Umoru made the denial at the Edo State secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) while reacting to calms that Okpebholo, represented by his Special Adviser on Health Matters, Precious Ogboru, and Executive Assistant, James Iorkusah, visited both mother and her newborn at UBTH and offset the outstanding bills.

Umoru who hails from Agenebode, in Etsako East Local Government Area of the State, however described as strange, reports that the Governor’s representatives met with them at the Hospital.

“At no time during my ordeal at the Hospital did I meet or received any form of assistance from the State Government through the Governor’s Special Adviser on Health Matters, Precious Ogboru, and Executive Assistant, James Iorkusah, who claimed to have visited our family at UBTH over inability to offset the bill.

“My wife does not bear the name ‘Mercy Bassey’. Our cry to the Governor in the media last Tuesday to help offset our medical bills of ₦330,000 never got government attention to the best of my knowledge until UBTH discharged us, following public outcry,” he said

Mr Umoru however expressed gratitude to the media and compassionate Nigerians for their prompt intervention, which led to the management of the UBTH for releasing his wife and baby without any additional financial burden after the initial ₦200,000 deposit.

Reliable sources however had it that the monetary assistance Governor Okpebholo approved for the Umorus was di erted tó another indigent patient in Hospital named Mrs Mercy Bassey.