Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has allegedly suspended the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, over allegations of lack of accountability and financial mismanagement.
According to reports, the Commissioner was suspended indefinitely during the State Executive Council meeting on Monday.
A top Government official confirmed to Vanguard News that the Governor actually asked the Health Commissioner “to step aside”.
The action of Otti, according to the source, which pleaded not to be mentioned, is to give room for the investigation of the Commissioner and her Ministry concerning “barrage of complaints over financial mismanagement and lack of transparency”.
The source said: “There were issues of transparency in the delivery of duties and the Governor felt that some actions are not in tandem with his vision for accountability and transparency.
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“He then asked her to step aside for an audit so that the process of audit will not be affected.
“It’s not as if it’s a death sentence or indictment. It’s just to strengthen the Governor’s resolve to ensure that there is accountability.
“The Governor said: ‘Step aside, let’s look through some of the issues raised against you by some people concerning some of your conducts and delivery of your mandate as Commissioner for Health.’
“You know we – the Governor and those who work with him – subject ourselves to public scrutiny.
“People keep sending in messages, and when you see a barrage of these messages coming against one person or Ministry, the best thing to do is to look into the activities of such a person or Ministry.
“And that’s what the Governor has done.
“Note that the Commissioner for Health has not been indicted for anything. What the Governor said is:”step aside let’s look into your activities.
“The Governor is committed to transparency and accountability, and he has zero tolerance for corruption.”
Meanwhile, efforts to get a reaction from the embattled Commissioner were unsuccessful as she did not pick calls put across to her.
As of press time, she had yet to respond to a text message sent to her phone by Vanguard News Correspondent.
It was learnt that her alleged suspension is coming barely 48 hours after the Principal of School of Nursing, Abiriba, was also suspended for alleged high-handedness and lack of transparency and accountability.
The Students Union Government had raised a strong petition against the activities of the suspended Principal, urging the State Government to intervene.
Similarly, the former boss of the State Orientation Agency was said to have been suspended over alleged sharp practices.
It will be recalled that Governor Otti, had during the swearing in of the Commissioners, warned that he had zero tolerance for graft, and would not hesitate to wield the big stick should any of his Aides misbehave.
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