The Edo State Assets Verification Committee has revealed that despite a N3.8 billion contribution by the immediate past administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki towards the establishment of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA), the state holds no equity stake in the project.
This disclosure was made by the committee’s chairman, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, during a press briefing in Benin City on Thursday. He clarified that contrary to previous claims, Edo State has invested significantly in MOWAA but has no ownership in the independent private trust, which is situated on government land.
“The Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Tourism has minimal supervision over the project. To date, Edo State has no equity stake in MOWAA, even though the state had spent N3.8 billion as a contribution,” Umakhihe stated.
He added that while the ongoing work on the project would not be halted, the final decision on whether the state would take ownership or pursue other options lies with the governor. “If the project will be beneficial to the state, it is only the governor who will decide the next steps to take,” he explained.
The committee’s findings follow earlier statements by the previous administration denying significant state involvement in the project. This development comes amid public scrutiny over the demolition of the over-100-year-old Benin Central Hospital in 2022 to make way for the museum. At the time, Obaseki had assured that the Stella Obasanjo Hospital would be built as a replacement for the demolished structure.
Last November, during the unveiling of the MOWAA Institute and Campus in Benin City, Obaseki reiterated that the hospital’s demolition was part of efforts to modernize healthcare and cultural infrastructure in the state.
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