Ex-Abia commissioner not indicted for fraud – Otti
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The immediate-past Commissioner for Health in Abia State, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo, who resigned her appointment after being suspended by the Abia State government, was weekend received and honoured by her Item kinsmen in Bende Local Government Area of the state after she was cleared of financial embezzlement by the government.
Recall that last month, Dr. Okoronkwo was suspended by the state government, and out of frustration, she resigned her appointment, after a panel cleared her of financial impropriety.
Governor Alex Otti had, in a media chat with newsmen on Friday, explained that the resignation of the former Commissioner for Health, Dr. Okoronkwo, was received, adding, “Before her resignation, a committee set up turned in its report. No financial impropriety was involved, but improper conduct. Money was not stolen or mismanaged, but some procedures were abused that need cautioning and reprimand, but she threw in the towel and the government accepted it.”
Immediately after, there was jubilation and celebration at Amaokwe Item in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State on Saturday, as the community members trouped out en mass to receive Dr. Okoronkwo, their daughter, who was cleared of financial impropriety and mismanagement of Abia public fund by a government panel set up to probe her.
Receiving their daughter at the Item Mini Stadium during the 2024 Amaokwe Item Women’s August conference, the Amaokwe Item people said Dr Okoronkwo gave a good account of her service as a Health Commissioner to Item people in particular, and Abians in general.
They expressed satisfaction that she has been cleared of the allegations levelled against her.
Consequently, the President-General of Amaokwe Item Welfare Union, Harrison Eze Okorie and the National President of the women’s wing, Mercy Kesandu Uko, presented awards of honour to the former commissioner and gave her the title of Adaukwu (Big Daughter) of Okwoaja of Amaokwe Item in recognition of her achievements as a commissioner.
Acknowledging the honour and reception, the former commissioner, Dr Okoronkwo, expressed her joy at being cleared of financial impropriety and thanked Governor Otti for allowing her to serve in his administration.
She appealed to Item indigenes to continue to support the Otti administration.
She informed that under her watch as the Commissioner for Health, the dilapidated and abandoned Umunneato Hospital was rebuilt and brought back to life to serve the people, among other achievements.
She added, “We came, we saw, and we conquered. Labour Party remains the best place. I urge you to continue to support Dr Alex Otti in making Abia the place to be.
“We have been exonerated. We had the choice to do the right thing, and we did it.”
Confirming the words of Dr Okoronkwo, the Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Chimezie Ukaegbu, who led Abia State government officials to the event, said the former Health Commissioner served the government and the people well before her exit.
Members of the LP in Item, and other LP chieftains in the state reaffirmed their support for Governor Otti and also commended Dr Okoronkwo for her performance as Health Commissioner in the state.
Meanwhile, Governor Otti said his administration is working closely with the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress to work out modalities for the payment of the new national minimum wage of N70,000.
He said that while the state government team is working with the NLC on the modalities, the state still awaits further clarifications from the Federal Government on the way forward.
He added, “A committee has already been set up. The government team, together with the NLC, is already working. We are not keeping quiet. We are already making progress.”
Governor Otti also stated that the issue of sending civil servants to classrooms as teachers would only apply to such workers who had training in the education-related field to ensure that a square peg is put in a square hole. He revealed that a discriminatory compensation package would be introduced for teachers in the state in addition to the increase in their retirement age from 60 to 65 years, even as he also announced that he had concluded plans to increase the retirement age of nurses in the state from 60 to 65 years too.
The governor said that his administration is at the point of digitizing all government activities and has hired a professional who will launch Abia’s public service in the digital world for a seamless operation.
On when the state would be conducting local government election, Otti said that the time table for local government election will be out as soon as some legislative matters are put in place in the state House of Assembly.
On security issues, Governor Otti noted that there have been remarkable improvements, due to the gallantry operation of the ‘Operation Crush Outfit’, which is working round the clock to smoke out criminals from all nooks and crannies of the state.
The governor disclosed that he has not borrowed to finance projects, adding that he would continue to be focused and ensure financial prudence.
He enthused, “So far, we have been operating without borrowing a kobo, but we have quite a few offers. At the appropriate time, we will access them. So far, we have not accessed them, the state of the state’s economy is healthy. We will continue to put our eyes on the ball.”
He used the forum to thank Abians for heeding his plea of not joining the ongoing hunger protest in some states of the federation, noting that such protest would have disrupted the prevailing peace and security in the state as protest, which is allowed by the constitution, could be hijacked by criminal elements.
The governor said that as a government that responds to the yearnings and aspirations of the people, his administration will continue to do things that will keep improving the living standards of the people with emphasis on priority areas such as health, education, agriculture, infrastructure, digital economy, among others.
