It could be recalled that the federal government institution has faced an intractable crisis for several years.
However, the Medical Director, Dr Monday Igwe, upon assumption of office, pledged to restore normalcy to the institution.
His pledge led to the withdrawal of several allegations and petitions against him by a Coalition of Civil Society Organizations.
But recent checks show that the days of bickering are back, with the CSOs urging the Inspector General of Police to reopen investigations against the Medical Director.
In a letter obtained by our correspondent, dated June 6, 2023 and signed by the convener of the Coalition, Comrade Onyebuchi Igboke, they claimed that the Igwe was abusing the peace process set out by the MInistry of Health.
The letter was entitled: ‘REQUEST FOR THE RE-OPENING OF INVESTIGATION AGAINST MANAGING DIRECTOR, FEDERAL NEUROPSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, NEW HAVEN ENUGU.’
It read: “Coalition of Civil Society Organisations is a joint civil society group with sole intent of entrenching rule of law and accountability in public institutions, to ensure improved service delivery.
“It is based on these set objectives that we initiated a petition against misconduct and corruption allegations against Dr. Monday Igwe, Medical Director Federal Neuropsychiatric, New Haven Enugu.
“Sir, our petition was on hold because the Director of Hospitals and former Minister wrote to us to allow them intervene on the issue which we accepted to enable accountability and transparency in the institution.
“But currently the MD is seriously abusing the entire peace accord and stay of action issued by then Minister. We sincerely request the re-opening of the corruption allegations against the MD, Dr. Monday Igwe as attached here in our previous petition.”
Meanwhile, Igboke while briefing journalists in Enugu, alongside members of the coalition on the recent developments, called on Igwe to resign from office in order to allow discreet investigation of the allegations levelled against him.
The coalition said the presence of Igwe in office as Medical Director will obstruct the police investigation.
Igboke argued that “as a suspect, he cannot be a judge in his own case”, adding that stepping aside will allow full scale investigation and review of all allegations without interference.
He further accused the Medical Director of victimising his perceived enemies, gross violation of civil service rules, nepotism, bullying of some staff, sending the wife on study leave abroad with full pay contrary to the health ministry’s circular, among other alleged infractions.
“Stability of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu will save more lives, enable the staff members to focus on discharging their duties without witch-hunting and impunity driven vendetta orchestrated by the Medical Director who was sent to restore peace in the institution, but is now agent of rancour and crisis,” Igboke added.
In the said petition earlier sent to the IGP, the coalition claimed that a fresh crisis is looming at the hospital over abuse of office, corrupt practices, nepotism, tribalism and manifestation of obvious acts of a power intoxication by Igwe.
Igboke alleged that: “Dr Monday Nwite Igwe has been acting with impunity, gross violation of all civil service rules and constitution. He boasts that he has overpowered the Ministry of Health, has hand-twisted the board since he is their pay master hence does not obey the board decisions and resolutions, as well as the fact that two of his brothers, one a General in the Nigeria Army and another a seasoned lawyer are there to give him the desired protection.
“He also boasts that the power that be, which installed him as the medical director despite coming third on the list of people that are qualified for the position will definitely protect him in event of his conduct in the hospital.
“Actually, Dr.Monday Nwite Igwe came third during the process of selection of a new medical director for the hospital but the Ministry of Health presumed him a neutral person having come from Alex Ekwueme University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki but the reverse is the case as he is a product of the cabals in the hospital having been trained by the said cabals that have wreaked havoc for the past eight years in the hospital.
“He was trained and supervised by the said cabals hence he is now acting their scripts in the hospital. He is not in control of the hospital, lacks administrative/managerial experience and the hospital is now a ticking time bomb.
“Dr Monday Nwite Igwe is not experienced as he was brought from the University without acquiring any administrative/hospital management experience.”
Apart from accusing Igwe of collecting money to make certain people principal of the School of Basic Psychiatry, the coalition also alleged that “Igwe while trying to sack the principal and the vice principal of the school secretly employed over hundred staff into the hospital, especially people from Ebonyi, his home state, without advertising so as to give everybody equal opportunity.
“This is in gross violation of the extant rules that stipulates that jobs must be advertised before employment.
“There is equally an allegation that people paid the sum of one million naira each before being employed into the hospital,” adding that some persons were also receiving humongous payments as consultants in the hospital without doing any tangible job.
“The former minister of state for health fixed the problems and sternly warmed Dr Monday Igwe to stop victimising and bullying staff, which nearly cost him second tenure, but he waited for the minister to leave office only to lay ambush in the school
“Dr Monday Igwe does not admit patients and other payments through remita as directed by federal government, rather he employed a private company and uses POS; he also placed POS service charge on patients,” the coalition further alleged.
They demanded that the Medical Director should be asked to step aside for full scale investigations to avert looming industrial unrest in the hospital.
It was hinted that Igwe’s wife, Mrs Chinonye Igwe, is currently undergoing a study abroad while still receiving full salary in contravention of a circular by the office of the Civil Service of the Federation.
