Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has directed the arrest and prosecution of six employees of the Ministry of Health for allegedly misappropriating materials designated for the ministry.
The incident came to light during a project inspection when the governor spotted a Toyota Dyana truck being loaded with registers, books, and other materials from the ministry’s warehouse. Unsatisfied with the initial explanations, he conducted a more detailed investigation, revealing that patient data registers, cards, and other documents were being transported without authorization. Further inquiries uncovered that the items had been sold without the government’s consent.
Speaking at the scene, Governor Nwifuru strongly condemned the act, labeling it as a betrayal of the government’s efforts to enhance the healthcare system.
“You are illegally selling government documents on a Saturday afternoon,” he said. “Our rural hospitals are in dire need of registers, data entry forms, and hospital cards. Yet, materials produced by the government to address these needs are being sold off unlawfully. This is outright sabotage of our health sector initiatives and will not be tolerated.”
The suspects have been handed over to the police for further investigation into the matter.
