Staff Of FMC Owerri Protest,Call For The Removal Of Medical Director

             

Hundreds of staff of the Federal Medical Centre Owerri took to the streets of Owerri the Imo State capital on Friday to protest the removal of their Medical Director, Dr Angela Uwakem.

The protesters walked the streets of Owerri causing heavy traffic gridlock, chanting songs and showing off red cards and whistles connoting ‘time up’ for the Medical Director.
The protesting staff who gathered under 3 different unions; National Union of Allied and Health Professionals, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria and National Association Of Nigeria Nurses And Midwives, FMC chapter.

 
Channels TV reports that, they alleged that the personnel funds released by the Accountant-General of the Federation in 2014 for the 2013/2014 promotion arrears meant for workers’ welfare was vied into capital projects in the centre knowing full well that vehement is a serious offence in the Nigerian constitution.
They also accused her of victimizing staff who did not support her proposal of privatizing some departments and units in the centre.
The protesters called on the outgoing government of President Goodluck Jonathan and the incoming president, General Muhammadu Buhari to probe the activities of the Medical Director.
They also advised that she resigns her job honourably, adding that as at time of the protest, members of the various unions have embarked on an indefinite strike until the federal government intervenes in the matter.
The Medical Director, Dr Angela Uwakwem, was not available to respond to the allegations, having being told that she was in a board meeting. The Acting Board Chairman of FMC Owerri, Senator Onyeka Okoroafor, who was about joining the board meeting, addressed the protesters on behalf of the management.
He said that a committee would be set up to look into all the allegations leveled against the Medical Director saying no matter the circumstance, no action will be taken unilaterally without the consent of the union.

However, for peace to reign on the centre, he urged the workers to go back to their duty posts as all matters would be addressed accordingly.

Meanwhile, in a latest development, 

The Board of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri has suspended plans by the management to go further with the plans of  privatizing some departments and units in the health facility.

In an interview with journalists after a board meeting in the FMC premises in Owerri, the Imo State capital, South-east Nigeria, the acting FMC Board Chairman, Sen Onyeka Okoroafor, revealed that the board has decided to drop the proposal and plans to privatise, as it was one of the major cause of the crisis brewing in the centre.

On query of members, the board also disclosed that the decision has been reversed and staff can continue their normal duties without any interference.
He maintained that the issue of promotion arrears is not only peculiar to FMC Owerri, noting that all Federal Medical Centres in the country are affected and can only be addressed by the Federal Government.

The acting Chairman further dismissed the petition levelled against the FMC Owerri Medical Director, Dr Angela Uwakwem, calling for her removal on allegations of financial misappropriation, noting that the allegations are not genuine enough to warrant her dismissal.
Senator Okoroafor stated that they do not have the power to fire or hire, adding that the only the Federal Government reserves the right to deliberate on such issues.

The board, however, called on the staff to return to their normal duties and assured them that every decision taken by the board would always be in the best interest of the staff.

In the meantime, the protesting workers have maintained their stand that the Medical Director must be removed from office on allegations of financial misappropriation, high-handedness and victimization, positing that until she is removed, they would not return to their duty post.