*issues 2 weeks ultimatum
A coalition of civil society and human rights groups, Joint National Actions Front Nigeria, has petitioned President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Staff, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to suspend the confirmation of Dr. Ngozi Unogu as the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Enugu.
The group alleges that Dr. Unogu’s appointment is a result of the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa’s, administrative recklessness and disregard for due process.
In the petition, the group alleged that Dr. Alausa had previously sacked the substantive Medical Director, Dr. Monday Nwite Igwe, without following the proper procedures, despite Dr. Igwe being cleared by a ministerial panel.
The petition was jointly signed by Tunji Olajide on behalf of Citizen watch, while
Salusi Badamasi signed for Social Rights and Justice, and Martins Henry for Advocacy and sustainable Governance Initiative.
The petition read in part, “The minister had unceremoniously and without due process sacked the substantive Medical director, Dr monday Nwite Igwe and installed her rumored friend Dr Ngozi unogu despite the fact that she is not the most senior consultant that should be handed over by Dr igwe who was sent on suspension by the minister for issues that is trivial.
“Dr Igwe was cleared by the ministerial panel that investigated him,the panel recommended that Dr Igwe should be warned and reinstated instead the minister wrote to the president bypassing the secretary of the federation as required by law and requested that Dr igwe should be sacked.The minister do not have power to suspend a chief executive appointed by the president.
“The minister sent Dr. Igwe packing just 3 months into his second term appointment by the president. Dr Igwe took the matter to house committee on public wrongs who sat over the petition and agreed that the minister misled the president into approving for the minister of state for health request to sack Dr Igwe.The committee ordered the ministry of health to immediately reinstate him which fell on a deaf ear.”
The group claims that Dr. Unogu failed the examination interview for the position of Medical Director but is still being considered due to her alleged relationship with Dr. Alausa.
Additionally, Dr. Unogu has been accused of overstaying in her acting capacity, contrary to public service rules.
The Joint National Actions Front Nigeria in the petition issued a two weeks ultimatum to the federal government to intervene and restore due process or face protests and picketing at Dr. Alausa’s office.
The group said Dr Ndu has been from suspension to interdiction for one year without salary which is against public service rule that stipulated that all disciplinary processes must finish within 180days.
The petition reads, “Dr Ndu had sued Dr Unogu, Dr Ubochi and two others for defamation of character among other things in 2017 and the court ruled against her and her colleagues. Now as the acting Medical Director, she had instigated a senior staff committee of the hospital and made herself the chiarman of the committee and the other defendant Dr Ubochi ,the vice chiarman of the committee sitting on the same issues that the court had ruled against them in 2017,.is that not contempt of the court ? how can Dr Ndu get Justice? Dr Unogu and Dr. Ubochi found room for personal vendetta trying seriously to sack Dr. Ndu on any available flimsy reasons in the bid to perpetuate her illegality in office.”
