By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
An activist, Comrade Daniel Ejembi, has accused Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, and the Kaduna State House of Assembly of delaying the take-off of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Kafanchan, despite full federal approval and funding. The activist said the FMC project, a key healthcare intervention for Southern Kaduna, remains stalled due to incomplete administrative handover processes at the state level.
Ejembi, who is the founder of the Eagle Brain Human Rights Organization, made the allegation in a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna. He said the FMC, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of his “special interest” in the region, has become the only one among its peers nationwide yet to commence operations.
He noted that while other states such as Borno and Bauchi completed similar handover procedures within weeks, Kaduna State has failed to finalize its required documentation, leaving the project in limbo.
According to him, “As 2025 draws to a close, the residents of Southern Kaduna face a painful disparity. While the new Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia launched swiftly, the FMC in Kafanchan is trapped in bureaucratic inertia.”
Ejembi recalled that the Nigerian Senate passed the Federal Medical Centre Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 355) on May 23, 2025, following earlier approval by the House of Representatives, with President Tinubu signing it into law shortly after. He described the continued delay in operationalizing the facility as a setback for communities suffering from longstanding insecurity and healthcare deficiencies.
He explained that the Federal Government has already completed its part by enacting the law, appointing a Chief Medical Director, and allocating funds through a supplementary budget. The state government, he said, is yet to conclude the four mandatory steps required for federal takeover: acknowledging federal notification, securing approval from the Kaduna State Executive Council, obtaining legislative backing from the State House of Assembly, and signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Ejembi stressed that the FMC Kafanchan was intended to upgrade the existing Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Memorial Hospital into a fully equipped federal medical facility. He noted that the Coordinating Minister of Health had inspected the site and announced a September start date to address “delayed treatments and preventable deaths.”
He added that the FMC has the potential to generate at least 5,000 direct and indirect jobs, boost the local economy, and reduce the “Japa syndrome” affecting Nigeria’s health sector. He questioned why such a crucial project would remain stalled when its benefits are clear.
Describing the situation, he said, “This is a case of ‘Rijiya ta bada ruwa, amma guga ta hana’—meaning the well has produced water, but the fetcher has refused to bring it out.”
Ejembi argued that the delay contradicts assurances previously given to Southern Kaduna stakeholders, many of whom have expressed political support for the project.
He urged Governor Sani and the Kaduna Assembly to urgently finalize all outstanding procedures to enable the Federal Ministry of Health to deploy personnel and commence operations.
“The people of Southern Kaduna have waited decades for a project of this magnitude. They must not be made to wait another day,” he said.
