Do Your Worse: Renewed Crisis Brewing In FMC Owerri As MD Moves Against Union

By Uchechukwu Ugboaja

If there is an end to the persistent crisis in Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owerri it is apparently not yet in sight, this is because the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) FMC branch has made fresh moves to push for their unflinching demand for the removal of the Chief Medical Director, Mrs. Angela Uwakwem even as she remains unperturbed as this new storm of controversy gathers.

Exclusive information reaching our investigative reporter who is live in Owerri, Imo State reveals that the Union has launched a fresh move indicated in a fresh letter written to convene a congress of all union members to force the embattled Medical Director who had been alleged to have committed grave infractions since assuming office.

A union member who spoke to our reporter on the basis of anonimity said that an emergency congress of the union is to be held on the 8th of June 2017 to discuss the way forward on lingering issues that affect their members as a result of the failure of leadership in FMC.

However in a quick move to stop the membera of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) from conducting the congress, it was reported that the Union submitted the letter for the use of the general auditorium late and therefore may not have access to it. The Union went further to insist that whether the MD likes it or not they will hold the meeting and take critical decisions that will be later revealed to the world very soon on their stand in the ongoing cover up and lack of transparency in FMC since the adminiatration of Mrs. Angela Uwakwem took off one of which is lack of promotion and backlog of salaries owed.

You will recall that in November 2016, the embattled Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Mrs. Angela Uwakwem, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before an Imo State High Court, on an 18-count charge that border on alleged fraudulent activities. Despite these and many more travails the MD doesn’t seem perturbed as she has continued to go about her normal duties of running the leading health institution in Imo state.

A source who wouldn’t like to be named in the office of the MD insisted that the workers who are complaining and revolting are simply not happy with the change that Mrs. Angela has brought to FMC. According to her these people have been used to doing nothing yet get paid at the end of the month, but since madam came in she stops the salary of anyone who fails to show up for work. She is said to have raised the ethical standard of the medical staff and has tried to raise the welfare standard of the workers as well.