Church closes ‘free hospital’ in Rivers over demand for levies

Sunday, July 5, 2020 9:05 am

OPM Hospital

*Accuses Aluu, the host community, of unwarranted imposition of levies on the Church

Okafor Ofiebor/ Port Harcourt

The General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries (OPM), Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, has shut down the church’s free specialist hospital located in Aluu community, in Ikwerre local government area of Rivers State indefinitely.

Apostle Chinyere made this known while addressing journalists at his residence on Saturday 4th July 2020.

OPM has been running the Specialist Hospital free of charge to distressed members of the public, especially for the poor, pregnant women and children who could not afford to pay for medical care in the public and private hospitals in South South region.

The services are rendered without discrimination to the religion of the beneficiaries

An ambulance owned by the hospital

But while announcing the closure of the hospital, Apostle Chinyere said, ” With a heavy heart, I the General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, has decided to close down the free hospital in Aluu community with effect from Sunday 5th July 2020″.

“This very hard decision was taken as a result of levies charged by Aluu community to OPM free hospital. OPM free specialist have saved so many lives free of charge.

“It will interest the public to know that from registration, ante natal, scan, delivery, drugs and post natal services are free. This is a free hospital which does not discriminate,” he said.

Apostle Chinyere said the Church expects Aluu community where he cited 12 OPM free estate, the free specialist hospital and one of the biggest free skills acquisition center in Nigeria to appreciate him and the Church but they turned against him with a levy, though members of community are the number one beneficiaries of those facilities.

Apostle Chinyere stated that he does does not make any money in all those facilities cited in Aluu community, rather he spends huge sums of money from offering and tithes to buy drugs, pay workers and buy delivery items in the hospital which has high sophisticated equipment.

He added that the generators in the free hospital are run everyday with high expenses on diesel for the generators used to power the facilities.

equipment inside the hospital

OPM General Overseer who said he had spoken with some leaders of Aluu Community, but they said they are powerless about the monetary demands.

“I called some of their leaders they said it is a compulsory levy so I don’t have any choice than to shut it down.

“I feel sad for those pregnant women who have been using the hospital. I urge them to look for another Hospital. Once we get a new location that is more friendly, we will come and relocate our equipment.

“All patients have been advised to stop coming to the hospital until further notice.”

It was difficult getting the reaction of the Aluu community at time of filling the report.

Aluu is the community of the renowned Author, the late Captain Elechi Amadi.