Korede Abdullah 
YENAGOA, Nigeria – The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has appealed to the Federal Government to release its 2025 capital allocation, saying the delay is slowing infrastructure projects and putting additional pressure on the hospital’s operations.
The Medical Director of the Centre, Dr James Enimi Omietimi, raised the concern on Wednesday while receiving a Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) delegation led by the Head of its Strategic Communication Directorate, Bede Ogueri Anyanwu.
The FRC team was at the hospital to conduct physical verification of selected Federal Government-funded projects in the South-South region.
Omietimi said the realities of running a tertiary healthcare institution were often more challenging than portrayed publicly, particularly when funding for capital projects was delayed. “We should not pretend because things have not been too good lately,” he said.
The Medical Director appealed to the Federal Government to release the allocation promptly to enable the Centre to complete ongoing projects and strengthen healthcare delivery for residents of Bayelsa and neighbouring communities.
He said the funding constraints had affected the pace of infrastructure development while the Centre continued to meet its day-to-day operational responsibilities.
Omietimi also raised concerns about residents who turn to traditional medicine before seeking hospital care.
He said some patients only present at FMC Yenagoa after their conditions had deteriorated, leaving the facility to provide more complex and costly medical intervention.
He therefore called for urgent government action to prevent further delays in infrastructure development and ensure that the hospital can sustain effective healthcare services.
Earlier, Anyanwu said the FRC delegation was assessing the implementation of Federal Government-funded projects and verifying whether appropriated and released funds were being properly utilised.
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Mirian Gom 