Governor Otti suspends Abia Health Commissioner

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Abia State Governor Alex Otti on Tuesday suspended the state’s Health Commissioner Ngozi Okoronkwo from office over alleged gross misconduct.

This was announced by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, in a statement made to journalists in Umuahia, the state capital, on Tuesday.

“The suspension is intended to pave the way for an investigation into the allegations of gross misconduct made against the Commissioner,” the statement said.

The suspension is in line with the zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct of any kind and the strict adherence to the principles of transparency and accountability in corporate governance.

The statement further said that the measure aims to ensure that the actions of persons appointed by the government must always serve the welfare and well-being of the people of the state.

The statement said the government was committed to good governance and the rule of law, which states that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

“As a result, the administration is very diligent in investigating and identifying violations or misconduct uncovered through its internal monitoring and feedback system.”

Against this background, she directed the ministry’s permanent secretary, Ifeyinwa Kalu, to work with the governor’s special adviser on health, Ngozi Azodo, to head the ministry until further investigations into the allegations are completed.