Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has suspended the ongoing N1.3 billion renovation and remodelling of Gumel General Hospital over what he described as poor quality of work and the use of substandard materials.
The governor announced the suspension after conducting an unscheduled night inspection of the hospital located in Gumel Local Government Area of the state.
The contract for the project was awarded to Yasmeen Automobile Nigeria Limited in December last year with an eight-month completion timeline.
Speaking during the inspection, Namadi expressed disappointment over the standard of work at the site, saying it fell short of the government’s expectations.
“The work is very poor; that is the truth. What we asked to be done in Gumel is the total renovation of this hospital, which includes remodelling where necessary,” the governor said.
He added that the project would remain suspended until the issues identified were addressed.
“What I have seen is not what I asked them to do, so I directed that this work be suspended completely,” he stated.
The governor also warned that his administration would not tolerate substandard execution of public projects.
“We are going to sit with the contractor. The contractor is not doing what we asked him to do, and we are not ready to take it. Finish!” Namadi declared.
The governor’s inspection has since generated reactions on social media, with many residents commending the move and urging him to extend similar oversight visits to other ongoing hospital renovation projects across the state.
Some commentators specifically called on the governor to inspect the ongoing renovation of Gwaram Cottage Hospital, alleging that the quality of work at the facility is also below standard.
This is not the first time Governor Namadi has taken action over alleged poor project execution. In March 2025, he ordered the rework of the state’s N10.8 billion Gully Erosion Control Project after raising concerns over the use of low-quality materials and the long-term durability of the project.