Ebonyi govt to sue hospital for alleged diversion of grants

From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

 

Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Cletus Ofoke, to institute a legal action against the Presbyterian Joint Hospital at Uburu for alleged diversion of intervention funds released to them by the past administration.

The governor gave the directive in a live broadcast on Friday at the New Government House Complex in Abakaliki, the state capital.

He accused the hospital of diverting the grants instead of using the funds to upgrade the hospital.

Umahi alleged that the mission hospital frequently used the funds to establish a private university outside the state, adding that “no one would use the name of the church to defraud the state”.

The state government had, last month, taken over the administration of the hospital after the expiration of the 100 years lease given to it by Uburu community in Ohaozara Local Government Area.

Umahi also announced the intention of his administration to hand over the COVID-19 treatment centre, built by his administration, to the Federal Government.

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The governor said the state government spent N4 billion to build the centre, adding that the government was moved to hand over the hospital to resolve the bed space problem of the Federal Teaching Hospital in Abakaliki.

Umahi said he was moved by the condition he met the hospital during his visit.

According to him, he was dismayed by the condition of some patients who he said slept on bare floor and on benches, after they had been discharged.

On the current Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) strike, Umahi described the action as unreasonable.

The governor noted that while the lecturers would still get their salaries after the strike, parents and students would be at the receiving end.

“ASUU strikes are becoming unreasonable. The parents and children are the ones being punished. Everything is by negotiable. We must try to be reasonable and not to always stick to our guns. We have to waive some of our rights in this nation for the country to move forward,” he said.