FETHA CMD denies allegation of financial impropriety

THE Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA), Dr Emeka Ogah has called on the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and all media organizations in the country to regulate the activities of its staff and members while sanctioning erring ones who take delight in tarnishing people’s images with their reports.

Dr Ogah told newsmen at the hospital while reacting to the allegation of salary padding from an online media outfit.

Ogah maintained that the hospital’s staff’s, do not receive salaries directly from the hospital but receive payment like other Federal Government owned establishments whose salaries are paid through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

“Contrary to allegations by the online outfit, the hospital does not give or collect staff salaries since IPPIS commenced as it, therefore, behoves that since we do not pay staff salaries for several years, the issue of salary padding should not be mentioned.”

He noted that the hospital has a well-constituted, incorruptible board of management and cannot be accused of having two persons who turn it into their private establishment and turn its funds into their private pockets.

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“We abide with the FG’s anti-corruption crusade and the application of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) as I am still living alongside other doctors including junior workers, in a flat I have been occupying since working as a doctor at the hospital.

He also added that despite the fact that he was the hospital’s CMD and in his fourth year in office; has attracted several health-enhancing facilities and interventions, to the hospital.

“The facilities include: the Lassa Fever Diagnostic Centre built and equipped by the Ebonyi government and donated to the Federal Ministry of Health, the donation of Lassa fever consumables including incinerators from the Doctors Without Borders, the free medical outreach by the T.Y Danjuma foundations, among others.

He rued the fact the online publication declined several invitations by the hospital’s management to visit it and verify its claims, to ensure that it gets all facts for his report.

“The writer claimed that he does not know where Abakaliki is located and we gave him direction on how to locate the town from Lagos, his supposed base.