NLC President Flays Buhari, EFCC Over Reinstatement of Sacked Owerri CMD, Angela Uwakwem

The President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has condemned in its entirety the release and reinstatement of the sacked Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Dr. Angela Uwakwem who is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Uwakwem, has been undergoing severe investigation from the officials of the EFCC over alleged gross financial misconduct; high-handedness, nepotism, occultic practices and lots more.

The reports had it that Uwakwem suspension emerged to allow the investigative panel do its job without interference but later reinstated by the Federal Ministry of Health.

Wabba, however, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to re-investigate the issue in order to uncover those who brought the embattled health practitioner back to office, saying her reinstatement compromises professional standards and aiding corruption.

NLC President made this known in Osogbo, the Osun state capital, during the 6th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference tagged ‘Osun 2016’ of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses And Midwives, NANNM.

Wabba, who insisted that Dr. Uwakwem shouldn’t have returned to office until she is being cleared of the offence levelled against her by the EFCC, said once the case has been established, she (Uwakwem) supposed to be on suspension until the issue is determined in line with the provisions of Public Service Rules, by the competent court of law.

‎According to him,”workers are already protesting over what they perceived as selective and discriminatory anti-corruption crusade of the present administration.

“Reinstatement of Dr. Uwakwen is unjustifiable and a manifestation of impartiality in the fight against corruption because there shouldn’t be sacred cows.

 “As a matter of fact, the leadership of the NLC is strongly in support of the call for inclusive anti-corruption campaign by the present government.

“We are set to take the protest to the minister of health, in order to notify him and make our stand known by demanding him to issue a statement on her (Nwakwem) unjustly reinstatement.

He lamented over what he regarded as lopsidedness in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, saying for Nigeria to grow, no effort must be spared to fight the scourge of corruption to standstill without sentiment.

Wabba reiterated, “Recently, we reported a case of Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, who was investigated thoroughly and charged to court by the EFCC on the 11th of this month, but due to some certain interests, she was brought back and reinstated. She was reinstated and escorted to office by security agencies.

“This is wrong in a country where sanity is required. A country where her systems needed to be enshrined and refined.

“There is a need for us as a nation to base the fight against corruption on the rule of law and also on the fact that whoever is found wanting should not receive any cover or any form of protection from any quarter.

Earlier, the Governor of Osun state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who described Osun as a peaceful state with lowest crime rate in Nigeria, assured the residents of adequate and maximum security.

Aregbesola who was represented by his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, commended nurses across the country for saving lives, saying without them, hospital would have been inhospitable.

“Regretably, nurses are under value and we should therefore look into insurance for the health practitioners especially nurses”, he stated.

Governor emphasised on the disparity in remuneration for nurses and midwives among others health practitioners, ‎saying much needed to be done to further encourage the practitioners.

He then, urged the nurses to see every life as valuable and important, saying inadequate remuneration ‎should not be overwhelmed by those challenges.

‎In his welcome address, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole who was represented by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital College, Ile-Ife, Prof. Kayode Olabanjo, described the theme: “Nursing Education in Contemporary Nigerian’s Education System: Issues and Challenges” as timely, just as he commended the organisers of the programme for putting up such occasion.

He called on the practitioners to keep abreast of global trends in medical profession so as to remain competitive.

Adewole, lauded the leadership of NANNM on the approval of internship for graduate nurses in line with other healthcare professionals, saying the gestures would further foster cooperation between and among the members of NANNM.

“It is also important to underscore and register my acknowledgement of the invaluable contribution of nurses to nation building and national development through quality healthcare services.

” I urge you all to continue on the same tempo and continually practice your profession with honour, dignity and the fear of God”, he stressed.

In his remarks, the National President, National Association of Nigeria Nurses And Midwives,NANNM, Abdrafiu Adeniji, decried over the decadence in the health sector, noting that health institutions and hospitals in the country lack adequate infrastructure, functional equipment and appropriate maintenance culture.

He urged the Federal government to ‎invest more on health sector, saying implementation of this would resort in standard healthcare delivery and qualified health professionals