Fresh Crisis Brews At Enugu Neuropsychiatric Hospital Over Unlawful Closure By Medical Director

……As Group Calls For Reopening Of Corruption Case Against Hospital Boss

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The relative peace being experienced in the crisis- ridden Neuropsychiatric hospital Enugu has disappeared , as tension has enveloped the medical Centre,

following the unlawful shutting down of the mental Nursing school by the Medical Director (MD), professor Monday Igwe.

Our Correspondent writes that the hospital is the only mental institution in South East Nigeria.

Investigation by our Correspondent revealed that professor Igwe, who has been having a running battle with some Staff of the hospital recently shut down the school with over 600 students illegally as a result of perceived personal interest.

The hospital boss had relied on a hitherto ghost letter from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, without recourse to management of the Nursing school to announce the indefinite closure of the institution, throwing the innocent students and parents into confusion.

However, when Newsmen, including our Correspondent reached the Medical Director to seek further clarification on why he closed down the school, Igwe said the decision followed a letter from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

He read to the Journalists the said Purported letter which he claimed emanated from the Council ordering the closure, which though he refused making copies available to the reporters on request, rather, he referred them to the Council, saying it was a confidential document.

Uju Igwe said: “As a father, i can’t have this letter and keep it for extra one day without informing the students,” Igwe told Journalists in his office.0

But when contacted, the Nursing and Midwifery Council denied ordering the shutting down of the school, stressing that they only withdrew their regulatory activities as a result of the petition from the hospital written by headship of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu.

Making a copy of the letter the school wrote to the hospital available to Newsmen, a Staff of the council said a petition was written by the top management of the Hospital and the Medical Director and that informed why the Council wrote the letter to him, so as to aid him in putting the school in order.

“The letter was written on the orders of the MD,” the Staff who craved anonymity stated.” adding the letter from the council will enable him to sanitize the school management.”

The staff further clarified that the Council does not have any problem with the school and have even received their list of students for indexing for the Necessary exams.

Following the recent discoveries, a call was put across to Prof. Igwe (the MD) letting him know that all he told the Journalists were far from the truth, and the need to get his reaction in the face of the new discoveries

After the call, further attempts to reach him for further clarifications proved abortive as he became evasive.

At first, he said he was attending a retreat with the permanent secretary, and in another response to futher call he claimed to be in meeting, promising to call back, which he never did till date after two weeks, and has refused to answering calls put across to his cell mobile phone, nor responding to SMS.

Meanwhile, sources close to the hospital hinted that the major reason the MD Shutdown the school is in preparation for the return of his wife currently on alledged illegal study leave abroad with pay.

“Mr. Igwe wants to continue his nepotism and that’s why he’s fighting to shut this school down not minding the consequences on the students and the South East region. He wants to bring his kinsman to head the school.

“If you think I’m lying about this allegation of nepotism, go and check the list of those employed in the last 4 years, they’re all from his state Ebonyi,” a Source in the hospital revealed.

Also corroborating his colleague statement, another staff said the effort to shutdown the school has nothing to do with the council but Mr. Igwe plot to force a leadership change.

“This is a predetermined move because he has quickly transferred all the staff working in the school to other departments. If he’s doing whatever he’s doing in good fate, why the rush to transfer all the staff of the school?” he asked.

Meanwhile, a Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Enugu state, have petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP, asking him to reopen investigation on alledged corruption and abuse office against the hospital Medical Director, professor Igwe.

The petition red thus: “Coalition of Civil Society Organisations is a joint civil society group with sole intent of entrenching rule of law and accountability in public institutions, to ensure improved service delivery.

” It is based on these set objectives that we initiated a petition against misconduct and corruption allegations against Dr. Monday Igwe, Medical Director Federal Neuropsychiatric, New Heaven Enugu.

The petition dated 6, June 2023 signed by Convener of the Coalition, Comrade Igboke Onyebuchi, and made available to Newsmen Friday in Enugu said “sir, our petition was on hold because the Director of Hospitals and former Minister wrote to us to allow them intervene on the issue which we accepted to enable accountability and transparency in the institution.

“But currently, the MD is seriously abusing the entire peace accord and stay off action issued by then Minister.

“We sincerely request the re-opening of the corruption allegations against the MD, Dr. Monday Igwe as attached herein our previous petition.