Ghost Hospital Scandal: Soludo Under Fire as ‘Commissioned’ Ayamelum General Hospital Turns Out Empty

The people of Ayamelum in Anambra State have been thrown into confusion and outrage following a shocking discovery that the much-celebrated Ayamelum General Hospital at Anaku, which Governor Charles Soludo recently claimed to have commissioned, is nothing more than an empty structure. What was touted as a fully functional health facility where surgeries were supposedly already being performed turned out to be an unoccupied hall devoid of medical equipment, doctors, nurses, or even basic furniture.

The incident unfolded shortly after Governor Soludo’s campaign visit to Anaku, the headquarters of Ayamelum Local Government Area, where he proudly announced that his administration had completed and equipped the long-awaited Ayamelum General Hospital. Addressing the crowd, Soludo reportedly told residents that his government had not only built the hospital but had also commenced medical services, including surgeries, to cater to the health needs of the community and surrounding towns.

However, the euphoria that greeted the announcement quickly turned to disbelief and anger when some curious residents and journalists decided to verify the governor’s claim. Upon arriving at the supposed “commissioned” hospital, they were met with the stark reality of an empty building — no hospital beds, no medical personnel, no power supply, and no sign that any medical activity had ever taken place there. Only the building’s shell stood as a grim reminder of what many have now described as a “political theatre of deceit.”

Video clips and photographs from the scene have since gone viral across social media platforms, showing the inside of the facility — a bare hall with unpainted walls and dusty floors. Local youths who recorded the footage could be heard expressing disbelief and frustration, calling the situation “a slap on the face of Ayamelum people.” One resident, who gave her name as Mama Nkem, said she had initially rejoiced at the governor’s announcement, believing that for the first time, the people of Ayamelum would have access to a functioning general hospital without traveling long distances to Nteje or Awka for medical care. “But when we went there, what we saw broke our hearts,” she lamented. “The place is empty. Not even a single hospital bed or nurse. How can the governor say surgeries are going on there?”

The revelation has since ignited widespread condemnation from citizens, opposition parties, and civil society groups, who are accusing the governor of misrepresentation and insensitivity. The Anambra branch of the Coalition for Good Governance (CGG) issued a statement calling the act “an insult to the intelligence of the people” and demanded an immediate explanation from the state government. “What happened in Ayamelum is not just a political blunder; it is a deliberate attempt to deceive the electorate,” the group’s spokesperson, Chuka Ofoegbu, said. “This kind of propaganda undermines public trust and ridicules the very essence of governance. We are calling for a full-scale investigation into how a hospital that doesn’t exist could be declared functional by the state’s highest authority.”

Meanwhile, opposition politicians have seized on the controversy as fresh ammunition ahead of the November governorship election. A spokesperson for one of the opposition parties described the episode as “a clear case of campaign desperation,” alleging that the Soludo administration has resorted to fabricating achievements to sway voters in rural areas. “You can’t build a phantom hospital and call it progress,” he said. “Ayamelum deserves better. These are hardworking people who have suffered neglect for years, and instead of bringing them real development, they are being fed lies.”

In contrast, officials of the state government have remained largely silent, with no official statement yet released to clarify the situation. However, a source within the Anambra State Ministry of Health, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that the building at Anaku was “still under development” and not yet operational. According to the source, “It’s possible the governor was referring to the completion of the structure, not the full operation of the hospital.” But that explanation has done little to calm public outrage, as residents insist that Soludo’s words clearly implied that the hospital was already functional and performing surgeries.

For many observers, the “ghost hospital” saga is emblematic of a deeper problem plaguing governance in Nigeria — the tendency of political leaders to prioritize image over impact. “It’s the same old pattern,” said a public affairs analyst, Dr. Okey Umeh. “Politicians build structures, paint them beautifully, and hold elaborate ceremonies to declare them open, even when the facilities are empty or non-functional. It’s all for the cameras, not for the people. What is happening in Ayamelum is a mirror of how public projects are executed across many parts of the country — more show, less substance.”

Residents of Ayamelum are now demanding that the government take immediate steps to equip the hospital and make it truly operational. Community leaders have also vowed not to allow the matter to die down quietly, promising to keep the pressure on until the truth is established. “We won’t accept a building with no doctor as our hospital,” said the youth leader of Anaku, Sunday Okafor. “We want real health care, not empty promises. Our women die in childbirth, our people suffer from malaria and snake bites, and we have nowhere to go. If the governor says the hospital is working, then let him come and show us the doctors and patients.”

Social media has been buzzing with reactions since the revelation, with many Nigerians drawing parallels between the Ayamelum hospital scandal and similar incidents in other states where “commissioned” projects turned out to be uncompleted or non-functional. The hashtags #GhostHospital and #SoludoAyamelum have been trending on X (formerly Twitter), with citizens expressing frustration at what they describe as “political deception.” One user wrote, “How can a governor say surgeries are going on in a hall without beds? This is beyond embarrassing.” Another added, “It’s not just Ayamelum that needs healing — it’s our entire political system.”

As the controversy grows, pressure is mounting on Governor Soludo to address the issue publicly and clarify what really happened at Anaku. Many political observers believe his response could have significant implications for his re-election prospects, especially in rural areas where trust in government is already fragile. Some are urging the governor to take responsibility, apologize to the people, and fast-track the hospital’s completion to restore confidence.

For the people of Ayamelum, however, the damage may already be done. What was supposed to be a symbol of progress has instead become a symbol of betrayal — a cold, empty hall standing in the middle of their community as a reminder of promises unfulfilled. As one resident put it, “We don’t need lies in Ayamelum. We need hospitals that heal, not halls that deceive.”

In the end, the Ayamelum “ghost hospital” may become one of the defining controversies of Soludo’s tenure, not just because of the empty building itself, but because it exposed — in the most literal way possible — the emptiness that too often lies behind political rhetoric.