Governor Suspends Health Commissioner Over Stealing In Ministry

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has suspended the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma and his Housing and Urban Development counterpart, Francis Ori.

Ekuma’s suspension was coming after the Governor ordered the arrest and prosecution of six staff of the Ministry of Health for alleged theft.

The two commissioner were suspended on Monday during the State Executive Council meeting in Abakaliki, the state capital.

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A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor, read, “Following cases of gross misconduct and dereliction of duties by some government officials and matters related thereto, the Chairman of Council directed the indefinite suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development and three months suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Health respectively.”

Osun Defender reports that the arrested staff were alleged to have stolen property belonging to the Ministry of Health.

There were also reports of underperformance by the Housing and Urban Development commissioner and his shoddy handling of the Amaeze Housing Scheme in the Ishielu Local Government Area of the state.