Stories by Moses John
Abuja
Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals (JOHESU) has threatened to occupy Presidential Villa over the reinstatement of the Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, Angela Uwakwem, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over allegation of corruption.
Speaking at a rally in Abuja in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade, said the reinstatement of Dr. Uwakwem contradicts the Public Service Rules provisions in section, 030404, 030406, 030409 and 030411.
The section provides for the suspension of an accused public officers until cleared by judicial panel or Court of competent jurisdiction.
According to a letter addressed to President Buhari, the workers alleged that re-instatement of the suspended medical director was an attempt to provide her with opportunity of distorting and destroying evidence especially unmovable ones that would be used against her in court.
JOHESU further alleged that the Ministry of Health and that of Labour are shielding Dr. Uwakwem, claiming she is under the explicit protection of the presidency.
Copies of the letter, signed by the National Chairman of JOHESU, Comrade Biobelemoye Josieh and the National Secretary, Florence Ekpebor, were also forwarded to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Director General, Department of State Service (DSS) as well as Chairman, House Committee on Health.
It read in part: “We watched with keen interest at unfolding events in the federal ministry of health’s handling of some matters especially as it affects the conduct of her officers in sensitive areas and wish to observe that their acts are not in tandem with President Muhammadu Buhari’s posture on corruption and his efforts to stamp out same in our public milieu.
“As a group and sufferer of this suffocating sleaze at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, we wish to place on record that we shall resist the move, within the ambit of the law, that is already sending signals to the general public that Mr. President’s anti-corruption war is embedded with double standard and that whistle blowers stand high risk of being abandoned.
“We, therefore, call on President Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, call the authorities of the Federal Ministry of Health to order. We wish to salute the courage of the EFCC in arraigning Dr. Uwakwem and call on them to pursue the case with vigour in the interest of the common man who ultimately bears the burden of these negative acts.”
