The removal of Dr. Monday Igwe as the Medical Director of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu has continued to generate mixed reactions which had also led to the intervention of the House of Representatives.
Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Honorable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare sacked Dr. Igwe after he was suspended on the 20th of September 2023.
However, the sack is said to be a premeditated action to give space for a preferred candidate from the ministry to take over from Igwe.
Some top civil servants that spoke to our correspondent said thesack never followed the laid down procedure for such action.
The public officer who doesn’t want her name in print said a circular dated 19th May 2020 from Boss Mustapha former Secretary to the Government of the Federation spelt out clearly, the processes which must be followed before someone in the category of Igwe can be removed.
The source further stated that item ‘vi’ of the circular spelt out that “Upon receipt of the submission from the Minister, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) shall without delay cause an independent investigation and advise Mr. President on the appropriate course of action, including interdiction or suspension in accordance with principles guiding Sections 030405 and 030406 of the Public Service Rules, pending the outcome of the independent investigations.” In this case, we didn’t hear of any thing like this happening.
She further stated that the circular clearly stated that: “This procedure shall serve as a mandatory guide and all Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and any other Public Officer in similar supervisory position, are enjoined to strictly abide by its content. For emphasis, on no account shall a Minister of the Federal Republic unilaterally or arbitrarily remove a serving Chief Executive Officer, without recourse to the procedure contained in this Circular.”
Other sources at the hospital raised concern that even the circular suspending Dr. Igwe wasn’t followed as the person that’s acting currently isn’t the most senior officer and wondered what the interest is
All efforts to get a reaction from the ministry failed as the minister is yet to respond to text message sent to his phone as at press time.
