Lawyer Seeks FG’s Intervention Over Illegal Closure Of Enugu Neuropsychiatric Hospital

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, July 12th, 2023

…Accuses Hospital Boss Of Abuse Of Office, Corruption

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Irked by the flagrant and unlawful continued closure of the School of Mental Health Nursing, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu by its Medical Director, Dr. Monday Nwite Igwe, despite a directive by the permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health to reopen the institution, a lawyer, Barr. Chijioke Darlington Ezeh, has urged the federal government to as a matter of urgency intervene for the interest of the students.

He said the call became necessary following the fact that it is now clear that the hospital boss has remained insensitive to the plight of the students and adamant in obeying the directive of the permanent Secretary.

Speaking with Newsmen Tuesday in Enugu, Barrister Ezeh, a Solicitor of the Supreme court of Nigeria, who hinted that his Chamber has been briefed by the leadership of the School’s Student Union government (SUG), over the ugly development, decried the alleged corruption, impunity and abuse of office by Dr. Igwe.

He disclosed that they had earlier written to the Federal Ministry of Health on the alleged misconduct of the Medical Director whom he said has remained unrepentant, and head bent in victimizing his perceived enemies in the school as well as to thrive in vendetta.

“We are therefore calling on the Federal government and well meaning Nigerians to join their voices with ours in ensuring that Dr. Igwe is compelled to do the right thing in the institution.

Recalled that the Medical Director who is alleged to be currently holidaying in the United Kingdom (UK), where the wife is presently undergoing study leave, shut down the school about a month ago, over a claim that the action followed a letter from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

Civil society groups in Enugu state also recently petitioned the Federal Ministry of Health to intervene on the Illegal school closure, as well as call Dr. Igwe to order, even as they dragged him to the police over alleged corruption and abuse of office.

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 a petition by the headship of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu.

Ezeh’s latest petition to the permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, which he availed Newsmen is Tittle: ‘Further Complaint of Corruption, impunity, unlawful closure of School and abuse of office as perpetrated by Dr. Monday Nwite: An appeal for immediate intervention.

“We are Counsel briefed by Mr. Chukwuemeka Nkoli & Ejikeme Ude Vivian, (For themselves as Student Union President and Secretary respectively of the School of Mental Health Nursing of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu and representing over 700 students of the same institution.

“We shall later, and for the purpose of this complaint refer to them as our clients on whose behest we write as instructed.

“Sir, on 7 June, 2023, we had written a Petition of Complaint at the behest of our clients in Ref:BC/CDE/BCCH/VOL.C/70/2023, whereat we made overt complaints of corruption, impunity, abuse of office and unlawful closure of School of Mental Health Nursing of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu by the Chief Medical Director of the Hospital Dr. Monday Igwe.

“In the said Petition of complaint attached with a document of retainership, we equally made it abundantly clear that the said Dr. Monday Igwe surreptitiously designed very deceptive, pig beaded, fraudulent and counterfeit means of arbitrariness in an under covet, feed fat and probably impugn his perceived enemies within enclave of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu, and without way the process or recourse to applicable laws, Rules and Directives al super bodies

“It is still with the heavy heart that we still complain of persistent impunity, total derogation of your consequential directives thereoff.

“As it stands, our clients are still in a stalemate as no critical action or serious turnaround has been done till date.

“The school has remained in comatose with the workers posted out to the clinical departments where they currently do little or nothing.

“Must we continue to blossom in impunity and pigheadedness even in the disposition of official assignments? Negation of civil service Rules and callous usurpation of Powers are to mention but a few other imbroglios currently pervading the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu at the instance of Dr. Monday Nwite.

“It may interest you to note that these students have continued to suffer and be subjected to untold hardship capable of leading them in committing atrocities” Ezeh stated on behalf of the students.

“Dr Nwite, we were told had sent and sponsored his wife to the United Kingdom to pursue a Masters Degree in Nursing Science with full Salary and payment of all sundry entitlements, even while away on Study Leave abroad contrary and repugnant to a Circular from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation dated 13 July, 2022 which pso factor provided guidelines for such requests and re-emphasized the need for such Application for Study Leave to be forwarded to the Office of Head of Service of the Federation amongst other mensares und restrictions.

“Our clients paid their School fees, yet locked out by Nwite whom we learnt jetted out to London probably on a frolic despite the current upheavals in the institution.

“The same Nwite is threatening fire and brimstone to void the intake admissions of our clients after they had paid Application Fees, replantee Fees, School Fees and other sundry fees required of them.

“We have the specific instructions of our client to seek and invoke legal remedies should nothing is done to redress these wrongs.

“It is wrong, inexorable and unjustifiable to admit students, accept their fees yet, lock them out in braggadocio.

Despite ministers instruction not to advertise/appoint any principal officer in the school, he went ahead to appoint a senior nurse from the ward as vice principal academics under his junior who is the Ag Principal.,notwithstanding that that power is vested on the Board or ministry of health in the absence of the board, action in violation of civil service rules

Our clients are fast missing their first semester Exam and the Nursing and Midwifery Exam scheduled for November, 2023.

“At the moment, there is no academic activity at the School and our clients are roaming the streets, even after having dutifully fulfilled all requirements of the institution.

“In fact, it is draconian and amounts to impunity, abuse of office for a perceived high ranking government appointee to be frustrating administrative affairs of an institution by trying to foist personal whims and caprice while acting on personal selfish interest.