*Governor Alex Otti of Abia State discloses the ongoing digitalisation of the State Civil Service has uncovered some medical staff that have left their duty posts for greener pastures abroad, but still receive remunerations from the government

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

The Abia State Government has alleged some medical doctors are still collecting monthly salaries despite leaving the employ of the South-East state to work outside Nigeria.

绿帽献妻 learnt

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, who stated in Umuahia, the state capital at the first Abia State Council on Health at the International Conference Centre Thursday, December 21, 2023, said his administration still uncovered on its payroll some doctors, who had already left the state employment to seek greener pastures abroad, in what is commonly known in the country as 鈥楯apa.鈥�

Speaking on the theme, 鈥淧roviding an Accessible, Affordable and Quality Healthcare System for the New Abia,鈥� Otti said such doctors are still collecting salaries from the state, despite leaving Abia State’s employment and now working abroad.

He stated: “Furthermore, our ongoing digitalisation of the Abia State Civil Service has uncovered some staff that have left their duty post for greener pastures, yet still receive remuneration from the State government.

鈥淲hile the criminality involved in this is going to be addressed by the relevant agencies of government, the important thing here is that we do not have the number of hands that were hitherto reported. We are working hard to fill these gaps.鈥�

The governor also noted that his administration would recruit more health workers to strengthen the health sector.

The Abia State Government is strengthening primary health care and ensuring that health facilities are manned by personnel across the state, Otti said.

The Minister of Health, represented by the Permanent Secretary of Abia State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ifenyinwa Uma-Kalu, also stressed the need for state governments to support the Federal Government by providing the necessary infrastructure in the health care system.

Speaking at the forum also, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, Abia State Honourable Commissioner for Health,聽 described the first State Council on Health as a demonstration of the commitment of Governor Alex Otti鈥檚 administration to prioritising developmental initiatives that are capable of unlocking the potential of Abia鈥檚 strategic human capital to fast-track the attainment of socio-economic development of the present administration.

Okoronkwo said that the focus of the administration is to bestow on Abians a health system that meets the needs of the people irrespective of socio-economic status.

He said that it would, in turn, put the state on the path of attaining Universal Health Coverage for all.