A viral video showing an allegedly deteriorated ambulance donated by former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has sparked fresh criticism over the maintenance of medical equipment and emergency vehicles in the state.
In the video, a man draws attention to the ambulance and calls on the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo to explain its present condition.
“Look at the ambulance former Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi, donated to this hospital more than 13 years ago. Look at its current condition,” the man said.
He further criticised the current administration, alleging that the ambulance had not been properly maintained.
“The present government, under Governor Soludo, can’t even maintain the ambulance or buy a new one,” he added.
The video and the comments have circulated amid an ongoing political debate in Anambra over the records of past and present administrations.
There is independent documentation that Peter Obi, while governor, supported healthcare institutions in Anambra with medical equipment and ambulances.
Channels Television reported in February 2014 that Obi donated a fully equipped life-support ambulance, valued at ₦30 million, to Holy Rosary Specialist Hospital and Maternity, Waterside, Onitsha. The donation was made during a visit to the hospital and formed part of the state's efforts to support healthcare delivery.
The history of St Charles Borromeo Specialist Hospital also records that Obi donated an ambulance to the hospital before 2010, noting that the vehicle later played a role in responding to a medical emergency involving Obi himself.
However, the specific ambulance shown in the latest viral video, its exact donation date, its ownership and the hospital where it is currently located could not be independently established from the available reports.
Maintenance question
The man in the video used the condition of the ambulance to question the state government's commitment to maintaining medical infrastructure inherited from previous administrations.
His comments, however, represent an allegation and political criticism. They do not by themselves establish that the Soludo administration failed to maintain the particular vehicle or that the vehicle was abandoned throughout the governor's tenure.
The state government has not, in the reports reviewed, provided a specific response to the video or explained the current status of the ambulance.
The controversy comes at a time when Soludo's administration is promoting investments in infrastructure and public services across Anambra, while also facing political scrutiny over its handling of the state's finances and projects inherited from previous administrations.
The disagreement between supporters of Obi and the Soludo administration has intensified in recent weeks, particularly over claims concerning Anambra's debt and financial position.
The Anambra Government has maintained that loans associated with projects undertaken during previous administrations remain liabilities of the state, while Obi has rejected the characterisation of his administration as leaving the state heavily indebted.
The latest ambulance controversy has therefore added another dimension to the wider debate over continuity, maintenance of public assets and healthcare delivery in Anambra State.
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