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CSO writes IG alleges high level corruption against CMD Enugu Psychiatric Hospital
Coalition of Civil Society Organizations has written the Inspector General of police, requesting immediate investigation Of Dr. Monday Nwite Igwe, the Medical Director, Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, New Heaven, Enugu.
The Civil Society is also demanding that the CMD steps aside to avoid interference in the Investigation.
In a letter made available to the media during a press briefing at the Enugu Press Centre, and signed by it’s leader Comrade Igboke Onyebuchi the CSO alleged several cases of corruption, impunity and nepotism against the CMD.
Meanwhile, Dr. Monday Nwite Igwe in a phone conversation with a Journalist stated that he is yet to be served with the petition; and hopes to react upon receiving the Police invitation.
In the petition the CSO alleged that fresh crisis is brewing at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, following alleged abuse of office, corrupt practices, nepotism, tribalism and “manifestation of obvious acts of a power drunk man” by the Medical Director of the hospital Dr Monday Nwite Igwe.
“Dr Monday Nwite Igwe has been acting with impunity, gross violation of all civil service rules and constitution. He boasts that he has over powered 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 Nigerian Army and another a seasoned lawyer are there to give him the desired protection.
“He also boasts that the power that be who installed him as the medical director despite coming third on the list of people that were 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 wrecked 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.
“The Medical Director Dr Monday Igwe instead of uniting and reconciling staff of the hospital which was the primary purpose of appointing him as the MD despite the fact that he came third during the selection exercise because he was assumed to be a neutral person is rather planting seeds of discord and divisions among the staff.
“Dr Monday Nwite Igwe is not experienced as he was brought from the University without acquiring any administrative/hospital management experience.
“To expose the aforementioned acts, we begin as follow:
Refusal to reinstate the substantive Principal and the substantive Vice Principal of the School of Post Basic Mental Health Nursing of the hospital Mrs Ruth Buzo-Maduka and Mr Afam Ndu respectively after the Medical Director and cabals have suspended the duo on two different occasions without success as the said suspensions were reversed by the Federal Ministry of Health and the board for lack of merit.
The Medical Director and the cabals again conspired and implicated them in a trumpet up allegation of murder but the duo were later discharged and acquitted by the court. This is in gross violation of the provision of the Public Service Rules No. 030404 (iii) which provides for the immediate reinstatement and payment of all the emoluments having been discharged and acquitted by the court.
All these are because the Principal and Vice principal openly condemned the action of Mrs Stella Achara, the former secretary to the former Medical Director Dr Jojo Onwukwe. She has long been convicted by the court over the allegation of a N15,000,000:00 (fifteen million naira) job scam in the hospital.
Based on the above, the former Medical Director Dr Jojo Onwukwe and his personal assistant Dr Andrew Orowingho who is also his son in-law vowed to remove the duo from the hospital for daring them.
Now the new Medical Director Dr Monday Nwite Igwe who was their student and supervisee is now acting the script of his former supervisor Dr Jojo Onwukwe and the cabals who have held the hospital hostage for the past eight years.
1b. To further punish the Principal and the Vice after the court discharged and acquitted them in July 2021, it took the Medical Director a period of eight months before he began to pay the duo their salary in February 2022.
Up till now, their outstanding arrears have remained unpaid and all these are in gross violation of Public Service Rules No 030404 (iii) which provides for the immediate reinstatement and payment of all their emoluments. This is a clear case of victimization.
1c. Having removed the substantive Principal of the school Mrs Ruth Buzo-Maduka, the Medical Director went on to further punish her by posting her to the ward/clinical area to work under a nursing staff Mrs Sussan Agi who is four years her junior in ranking.
Mrs Sussan Agi is currently the Head of Nursing Services and also sister to the Medical Director. This also is in gross violation of Public Service Rules No 020106 which provides for seniority in service.
2a. Dr Monday Nwite Igwe is in gross violation of the Public Service Rules No. 020601 which stipulates that in the absence of the substantive principal and vice principal, the most senior should take over in an acting capacity pending the determination of the substantive issue rather Dr Monday Nwite Igwe pulled his wife Mrs Chinonye Igwe from the ward/clinical area of Alex Ekwueme University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki and appointed her the substantive vice principal irrespective of the fact that she is not qualified for this position. It is also alleged that Mrs. Chinonye Igwe rarely comes to work.
2b. The Medical Director Dr Monday Nwite Igwe in his desperation to make his wife the substantive principal of the school in the next two years has introduced a two year tenureship in the headship of the school which is a clear contravention of the Head of Service of the Federation circular number HCSF/428/S.1/139 dated 20/6/2016 abolishing tenureship in the civil service of the federation.
It is alleged that Dr Monday Nwite Igwe collected N3,000.000:00 (three million naira) from one Mrs Stella Oyeamaka Agbo to make her the substantive principal. This is not withstanding the fact that the said Stella Oyeamaka Agbo is hierarchically junior to and also a student of both Mrs Ruth Buzo-Maduka and Mr Afam Ndu.
It is also alleged that the MD’s wife Mrs Chinonye Igwe is the de facto principal. She executes all the contracts and undertakes all the supplies to the school, the more reason Dr Monday Nwite Igwe the Medical Director does not want the substantive principal and vice back to their positions.
Prior to the installation of Mrs Stella Oyeamaka Agbo, it was alleged that Dr Monday Igwe collected the sum of N3,000,000:00 (three million naira) from one Mr Alphonsus Mba and made him the substantive principal of the school. However, Mr Mba retired from active service few months after his appointment.
Under the watchful eyes of Dr Monday Nwite Igwe as the medical director, Mr Alphonsus Mba, Mrs Stella Oyeamaka Agbo and Mrs Chinonye Igwe, the sum of N6,000,000:00 (six million naira) being students’ school fees and other fees of 2019/2020 set which was supposed to be paid through remita was collected cash by them and the said sum disappeared from the school account till date.
This is a clear violation of the Federal Government regulation that made provision for payments of all moneys via remita. It was equally alleged that the said sums of money were shared amongst themselves because no serious action or a report to any law enforcement agency was made by the management. The matter was swept under the carpet.
Under the watchful eyes of Dr Monday Igwe as the medical director, Mrs Stella Oyeamaka Agbo, Mrs Chinonye Igwe and one Mr Princeton Osamor who is not a staff of the school, the sum of N1,600,000:00 (one million, six hundred thousand naira) being amount meant for the registration of the 2021 set of students with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria disappeared leaving the students stranded.
To offset this sum so as to achieve the registration, the students were levied again while the medical director on his part brought the sum of N1,000,000:00 ( one million naira) to augment the students’ contribution. All these fraudulent activities have not happened in the history of the school and this is one of the reasons the Medical Director Dr Monday Nwite Igwe does not want the substantive principal and vice back to their positions.
Mr Alphonsus Mba who is one of those alleged to have bought the position of the substantive principal of the school from the Medical Director Dr Monday Igwe is a stooge and long-time friend of the Medical Director. He, Mr Alphonsus Mba is alleged to be impersonating someone as his real name is Mr Gregory Agbo from NCHATANCHA NIKE. His wife bears Agbo and all his children bear Agbo as their last name. Everyone from Nchatancha Nike can attest to the above fact. Alphonsus Mba is actually the name of his elder sister’s husband. He assumed the name Alphonsus Mbah to enable him acquire and utilize his brother in-law’s West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate for further studies and career progression as his O’Level result was deficient then. The action of Mr Alphonsus Mba amounts to impersonation in the highest order. The Medical Director knows about this but decided to remain silent on the issue.
The Medical Director Dr Monday Nwite Igwe while trying to sack the principal and vice principal of the school secretly employed over hundred staff into the hospital especially people from Ebionyi State 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. The names of some of those secretly employed by the Medical Director without advertising are: 1.Chidi Ugwu 2.Oscar (his personal assistant), 3. Onyekuba etc. Those staff secretly employed by the Medical Director were secretly captured by IPPIS at Nondon Hotel and were paid three month salaries upfront without working thereby short-changing the Federal Government. Most of them have long stopped coming to work and some were alleged to have been employed with fake certificates.
It is alleged that two major contracts in the hospital were not advertised; in other words, it did not follow due process and it is also alleged that the Medical Director is doing both contracts by proxy.
It is also alleged that as a means of syphoning fund from the hospital, the Medical Director employed many honorary consultants who do not even come to work but are paid monthly salary and thereafter settle the Medical Director behind. Some of these honorary consultants include his childhood friend Dr Bobsam Ohayi who is a consultant pathologist at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu.
The vital question is: “what is a pathologist doing in a psychiatric hospital?” Another friend of his Dr Chukwujekwu who is based in Port Hacourt is equally employed in the hospital while four of his colleagues working at the Alex Ekwueme State Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki are also employed in the hospital as honorary consultants.
It is also alleged that the Medical Director Dr Monday Nwite Igwe through some staff of the hospital acting as his agents charge money for recruitment of interns to the hospital.
Some of his staff who act as agents for the collection of the money from prospective interns are: 1. Mr Obinna Idika (Audit Department) 2. Mrs Celestina Onuoha (Account Department) 3.Mr Okey Orenta (Account Department) 4.Mrs Ifeoma _______ (Procurement Department). A close look at the accounts of the interns and these staff for the medical director in the month of February/March, 2022 will substantiate these claims.
One of the interns who paid to the bank to one of his agents is Miss Angela Okolie (07035125274). It is alleged that the interns paid between the sum of N200,000:00 to N300,000:00 (two hundred to three hundred thousand naira) each to the Medical Director through his agents.
It is also alleged that these interns were forced to pay the sum of N10,000:00 each as fee for medical test. This fee ordinarily is supposed to be the sum of N300 because the above medical tests are done in the hospital, yet the interns were exploited and extorted.
It is equally alleged that the Medical Director collected the sum of N2,000,000:00 (two million naira) each from four nurses and promoted them to the position of Assistant Director (Nursing) without going through the due process of promotion exercise as provided by Public Service Rules. Their names are: 1. Nurse Patricia Odo 2. Nurse Clara Omeghoha 3. Nurse Crescentia Ugwu and 4. Nurse Eugenia Abaratu.
It is alleged that the Medical Director collected the sum of N3,000,000:00 (three million naira) from one Mr Francis Chinawa and promoted him to the position of Assistant Director (Nursing) despite the fact that Francis Chinawa’s request to do a post graduate studies in Ebonyi State University was refused by the management and also in gross violation and contravention of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation circular number HCSF/EPO/EIR/CND /100ST/97 dated 8/9/2016 which stipulates that a degree in nursing science is a must before being promoted to the position of Assistant Director (Nursing) which Chinawa Francis does not have.
The Medical Director Dr Monday Nwite Igwe got his official car TINTED in gross violation of the extant rule/circulars that no federal government car should be tinted.
It is alleged that Dr Monday Nwite Igwe aside super imposing his wife as the vice principal of the school has since his assumption of office as the MD engaged in nepotism and tribalism as he has flooded the hospital with his kinsmen and women from his home State of Ebonyi:
a. His wife Mrs Chinonye Igwe is the de facto principal of the school.
b.His sister Nurse Sussan Agi is the Head of Nursing Services and her four years senior in ranking Mrs Ruth Buzo-Maduka has been humiliated to work under her as a subordinate for the past one year.
c. His brother Mr Friday Oduburu who is a staff of the hospital was contracted to manage the hospital canteen along with his wife.He now sells alcoholic drinks in the hospital canteen and he has also taken over the hospital photocopying machine in the library for his use in the canteen.
d. Mr Friday Igwe who is the immediate brother to MD is now in-charge of the hospital hall and is contracting same out to outsiders for functions as well as mismanaging the proceeds generated from it without accountability.
The Medical Director in displaying his skills of planting seed of discord and divide and rule among the staff of the hospital has now forced the staff to belong to the unions and will go directly to their salaries/source to deduct the unions’ dues and share it with the various unions.
These various unions as a way compensating him will give him awards thereby creating seeds of discord among the staff. The Medical Director is in violation of the fundamental rights of these staff to freedom of association guaranteed them under the constitution. The Medical Director by his action has violated the provision of section 12 (4) of the Trade Union Act which provides that membership of trade unions shall be voluntary and no employee shall be forced to join any or be victimized for refusing to join or remain a member. Also, by the provision of section 9 (6) of the labour act, no employer shall make a condition of employment that a worker shall or shall not join a trade union or shall not relinquish membership of a trade union.
It is alleged that the Medical Director has assembled some able bodied men/staff as his hit squad and named them “CATCH AM” who he has saddled with handling of mentally challenged/ill patients without any form of training. They beat and abuse these patients and handcuff them in this process. He uses the squad to divert patients to his private clinic.
It is alleged that the Medical Director illegally employed one Miss Uju Nwodo, a level 8 staff (his alleged girl-friend) and made her seniors on level 13 to work under her. They are: 1. Dr Ogbonna Kalu-Nta 2. Mrs Judith Nwonye.
Our prayer:
Dr Monday Nwite Igwe (the Medical Director) should be asked to step aside for full scale investigations to avert looming industrial unrest in the hospital.
Dr. Samuel Ogbuku climbs another rung on the golden-floor ladder of life on August 19, 2026, marking 51 years of a life defined by purpose, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the Niger Delta region.
Born in Ayakoro, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, his journey from the creeks and crowded neighbourhoods of the region to the helm of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is more than a personal story. It is a living expression of what he has described as “Rewind to Rebirth”: the deliberate act of learning from the past to rebuild a stronger, more hopeful future.
Dr Ogbuku’s early years were shaped by the realities of the Niger Delta. He attended public schools in Port Harcourt before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political and Administrative Studies from the University of Port Harcourt. Further studies led to a Master’s and a Ph.D. in Development Studies.
Alongside academic excellence, he cut his teeth as a student activist and later served as Public Relations Officer of the Ijaw Youth Council (Central Zone). Those formative experiences instilled in him a deep understanding of the region’s struggles and a firm belief that dialogue, education, and opportunity remain the most effective paths to lasting peace. His career has been a steady progression of service. He worked as a Personal Assistant in the Ministry of Petroleum, served as Chief of Staff in the Bayelsa State Government House, managed agricultural enterprises, and later acted as Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs.
In 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed him Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC. He inherited an agency long criticised for inefficiency and uncompleted projects. Under his leadership, the Commission has shifted from what he terms a “transactional” approach to a “transformational” one.
The results are visible across the region. Thousands of kilometres of roads have been constructed or rehabilitated. Bridges and jetties have improved connectivity. Health centres have been built and equipped, while free healthcare outreaches have brought medical services to thousands.
The “Light Up the Niger Delta” initiative has extended electricity to communities long left in darkness. Scholarships have opened doors for young people, with many achieving distinction both at home and abroad. These interventions reflect a consistent philosophy: development must be felt by ordinary people in their daily lives.
At the heart of this work lies the “Rewind to Rebirth” agenda, articulated in his writings, including Rethinking the Niger Delta. It is a call to examine past mistakes honestly, discard what has not worked, and rebuild institutions, infrastructure, and trust with clearer purpose.
For Dr. Ogbuku, turning 51 is not merely a personal milestone. It is another opportunity to reaffirm that the Niger Delta’s future can be brighter than its past if leadership remains focused on results, accountability, and the people.As communities, colleagues, and well-wishers celebrate this birthday, the most fitting tribute is continued support for the unfinished work of regional transformation. Dr. Samuel Ogbuku’s 51 years remind us that purpose, when rooted in service, has the power to rewrite the story of an entire region one project, one community, and one generation at a time.
Happy Birthday, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.
The Mission Continues!!!
Jim George Willy Ibimina
Writes from Niger Delta.
News
Transformative Path Born in Ayakoro, Built for Impact: The Leadership Legacy of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku
In the quiet riverine community of Ayakoro in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, a dynamic leader was born on August 19, 1975, who would one day help reshape the fortunes of the entire Niger Delta. That Leader is Dr. Samuel Ogbuku. Today, as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Paramount Ruler of Ayakoro Kingdom (Daufa VI), his journey from the creeks of Bayelsa to the centre of regional development stands as one of the most compelling stories of service and impact in contemporary Nigeria.
Roots in Ayakoro
Dr. Ogbuku’s early years were shaped by the realities of the Niger Delta region: its beauty, its struggles, and its unfulfilled promises. Though he spent much of his childhood in Port Harcourt, regular visits home to Ayakoro left a lasting impression. The underdevelopment he witnessed in his ancestral community planted a quiet determination: if opportunity ever came, he would use it to change the lives of his people.
He began his formal education at Christ the King School, Oromenike, Port Harcourt, obtaining his First School Leaving Certificate in 1987. He proceeded to Government Secondary School, Borokiri, before gaining admission into the University of Port Harcourt. There he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political and Administrative Studies in 2000. He later obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Sociology, Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, a Master’s degree, and finally a Doctor of Philosophy in Political and Administrative Studies and Development Studies in 2021. Education, for him, was never merely personal advancement; it was preparation for service.
From Activism to Administration
As a young man, Ogbuku was deeply involved in the Niger Delta struggle. He served as Public Relations Officer of the Ijaw Youth Council (Central Zone) and cut his teeth in student activism. Those early years taught him the language of agitation, but also the limits of confrontation. He gradually moved into structured public service.
Between 2005 and 2007 he worked as Personal Assistant to the Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Petroleum. From 2007 to 2012 he served as Chief of Staff at the Bayelsa State Government House, at the time one of the youngest people to hold that position in Nigeria. He later managed Fulfilled Farms Nigeria Limited, deepening his interest in agriculture and aquaculture, before serving as Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs to the Deputy President of the Senate. These roles gave him practical experience in governance, crisis management, personnel administration, and the complex politics of the oil-producing region.
He had the rare privilege of being appointed twice as MD/CEO of the NDDC by two Nigerian Presidents; first by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2022, and again by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in August 2023 for a fresh four-year tenure.
Ogbuku arrived at the NDDC with both institutional knowledge and lived experience of the challenges he was expected to solve.
Transforming the NDDC
The NDDC Ogbuku inherited carried a heavy burden of unfinished projects, public scepticism, and institutional turbulence. He responded with a clear philosophy: move the Commission from “transaction to transformation.” The focus shifted decisively toward completing legacy projects, improving transparency, and delivering visible results.
Under his leadership, the Commission has made measurable progress in infrastructure. Thousands of kilometres of roads have been constructed or rehabilitated, dozens of bridges and jetties completed, and major connecting projects such as the Ogbia-Nembe Road, the Ibeno Bridge, and the Kaa-Ataba Bridge advanced or delivered. Electrification initiatives, including the “Lighting Up the Niger Delta” programme, have brought power to communities that had lived for years in darkness.
In healthcare, the NDDC constructed and equipped numerous health centres and revived free medical outreach programmes that have provided tens of thousands of patients with care, including thousands of surgeries. Education and youth empowerment received renewed attention through expanded scholarship schemes, school rehabilitation, and skills programmes designed to give young people alternatives to restiveness.
King Ogbuku has also emphasised institutional reform, working with professional partners to strengthen governance systems and prioritise accountability. His administration secured significant budgetary support and focused resources on completing abandoned projects rather than endlessly initiating new ones.
Returning Home as Traditional Ruler
In June 2026, Dr. Ogbuku was installed as Paramount Ruler of Ayakoro Kingdom with the title Daufa VI, succeeding the late monarch after serving as Deputy Paramount Ruler. The dual role technocrat by day and traditional father by night reflects the depth of his connection to his roots. He has pledged to lead with humility, promote peace and unity, and work with stakeholders for the sustained progress of Ayakoro and the wider region.
A Living Legacy
Dr. Samuel Ogbuku’s story is still being written. At just over fifty, he continues to occupy one of the most demanding development positions in Nigeria while simultaneously carrying traditional responsibilities in his hometown. What distinguishes his trajectory is consistency of purpose: a young man from Ayakoro who never lost sight of the community that raised him, and who has used every platform activism, government, private enterprise, and now the NDDC to push for tangible change.
Conclusion
Dr. Samuel Ogbuku’s journey from Ayakoro to the leadership of the NDDC shows that true impact begins with a deep love for one’s people. Through hard work, focus, and a clear vision, he continues to turn challenges into progress for the Niger Delta. His legacy is still growing, but the difference he is making is already being felt in communities across the region.
From the mangrove creeks of Bayelsa to the boardrooms of regional development, his path illustrates a simple but powerful idea: impact is possible when knowledge, experience, and genuine attachment to place are combined with the courage to confront difficult institutions. In the Niger Delta, that combination is already producing results that communities can see and feel.
Martins Ibigomie Ogolo
Public Affairs Analyst
martins.ogolo@yahoo.com
The member representing Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Chimaobi Sam Atu, has flagged-off the completion of the 1.3-kilometre Ndafufa-Ugwuaji–Obeagu Link Road to further open up Enugu metropolis.
The project is part of a phased intervention aimed at improving road connectivity and opening up communities within the constituency.
The first phase covered the Ayo Open Space–Ndafufa Ugwuaji, while this second phase will cover Ndafufa Ugwuaji – Obeagu link road. The third phase is expected to extend to the Obeagu–Obinagu–Obeagu Amechi link road.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony on Tuesday, Hon. Atu emphasised the critical role of road infrastructure in driving economic growth, enhancing connectivity and improving the quality of life of residents.
He explained that the third phase of the project would capture adjoining communities, including Obinagu and Amechi, further expanding the network of accessible roads across the area.
According to him, it is another milestone in the drive towards infrastructure development in Enugu North and South Federal Constituency.
Responding, the President-General of the Obeagu Ugwuaji Town Union, Chief Freedom Obi, expressed the community’s excitement over the project, describing the intervention as significant to the development of the area.
Obi also commended Atu for the quality of work executed during the first phase.
Speaking on the technical specifications and timeline of the project, Engr. Ikechukwu Okorie of Ideas Construction Limited, assured that the earthworks and double-drainage system would be completed before November 2026.
Okorie, who is the engineer in-charge of the project, said: “The road is designed with a standard width of 7.5 metres (in-to-in).
“It will have a dual-drainage system to facilitate effective water flow, protect the road and enhance its durability.”
The completion of the project is expected to strengthen connectivity between Ugwuaji, Obeagu and neighbouring communities, while facilitating the movement of people, goods and services and stimulating economic activities within the area.
By Chinedu Sabastine
ENUGU — The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has called for a shift from confrontational labour relations to strategic collaboration between organised labour and government.
The National President of the association, Comrade Shehu Mohammed, made the call at the South East Zonal Workshop of ASCSN in Enugu, where public sector stakeholders, union executives and government representatives examined emerging challenges in industrial relations and public service efficiency.
Mohammed said the workshop marked a turning point in the history of labour relations in Nigeria, stressing that modern public administration required dialogue, data-driven advocacy, collective bargaining and mutual respect.
According to him, “true progress for the Nigerian worker is no longer achieved solely on the streets through friction, but at the round table through data-driven advocacy, mutual respect, collective bargaining and strategic alignment.”
He identified three key pillars for effective labour-government collaboration: supporting a robust public service capable of funding workers’ welfare, engaging government early before disputes escalate, and equipping workers with modern administrative and negotiation skills.
The ASCSN president urged participants to approach management disputes with institutional solutions rather than immediate ultimatums, saying negotiation should produce outcomes that benefit both government and civil servants.
He commended Governor Peter Mbah for what he described as transformational leadership in Enugu State, particularly his efforts to transition the state from a public-sector-driven economy to a private-sector-driven one.
Also speaking, the Enugu State Head of Service, Dr. Godwin Chinonso Anigbo, said the civil service remained the bedrock of governance, given its critical role in policy formulation and implementation.
Anigbo said changing times required both labour and government to abandon win-lose approaches and embrace solutions that would serve the interests of all parties.
He urged organised labour to move beyond reliance on strike ultimatums, while advising government to avoid what he described as “judicial ambushes” in industrial courts as a means of frustrating legitimate union demands.
The Head of Service disclosed that the Enugu State Government had established a Public Service Training Institute to promote policy research and build institutional capacity.
He also challenged civil servants to take ownership of government policies and their implementation, warning against the traditional mindset that “Soldier go, soldier come, barrack remains.”
According to him, “if governance fails, both the policymakers and implementers have failed.”
In a goodwill message, Mrs. Ndidiamaka Oke, who represented the Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Enugu State, said collaboration remained the most effective approach to resolving contemporary challenges in the public service.
She said, “Collaboration does not mean abandoning your legitimate rights. Collaboration rather means giving workers opportunity for constructive dialogue.”
Oke stressed that constructive dialogue would enable labour and government to resolve disputes while strengthening industrial harmony and improving public service delivery.
She commended ASCSN for providing an intellectual platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, experiences and practical solutions, expressing confidence that the workshop’s outcome would deepen cooperation between government, management and organised labour.
Wike stated this while speaking during an inspection tour of flood-affected areas in the Federal Capital Territory on Monday.
Wike said the fragmented nature of the opposition would make it difficult for the parties to mount a strong challenge against Tinubu in 2027.
He declared, “This election, the 2027 election, will be the easiest election for Mr President. 2023 was a tough election for him.”
The former Rivers State governor further argued that the opposition had been weakened by defections and political movements ahead of the next election.
He said, “This election, where the opposition has been crippled, you know what it means? Depleted; they finished them.”
Wike said a credible opposition needed to spend years building a strong political structure instead of moving from one party to another in search of an electoral platform.
He said, “For you to be opposition to remove a government, it must be what you call a strong, vibrant opposition that has stayed for over four years planning, not opposition that is looking for a party to run to.”
He added, “Today, they’re going to Party A. So, you see, that kind of opposition can never win.”
Wike was emphatic about Tinubu’s chances in 2027, saying, “If it is this 2027 election against Bola Ahmed Tinubu, no, forget it. It’s over.”
The minister dismissed criticism from opposition politicians and commentators, saying their media appearances would not erase what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration over the past three years.
Wike said, “I don’t want to reply to political commentaries. I don’t want to reply to people who think that appearing before media houses will give them an edge to win an election that they have lost. No.”
He maintained that the administration’s achievements could not be diminished by political criticism.
He said, “Nobody can diminish what this administration has done in the past three years. Nobody can diminish it. This administration has done very well as far as the Federal Capital Territory is concerned.”
He added, “That does not mean I claim that we have solved all problems, no. Are we solving problems? Yes. Have we solved major problems? Yes. Will we continue to solve problems? Yes.”
The minister also spoke on the government’s response to flooding and illegal structures in the FCT.
He warned officials of the FCT Development Control Department against delaying enforcement operations with bureaucratic excuses, saying the administration had the political will to act against structures obstructing waterways.
Wike said, “And let nobody make a mistake that this government lacks the political will to do anything. The person must be making a very big mistake. If there is one minister that has that political will, I have. I have the political will.”
He directed that houses found on waterways should be demolished, regardless of the status of their owners.
He said, “I’m going to bring those houses down! Any house that’s found on the water channel will go down!”
Wike said the enforcement would not be suspended because of the approaching election.
He added, “Whether there is an election, oh, there’s no election, oh, all those houses will go down. Heaven will not fall; rather, heaven will be at peace that the right thing has been done.”
The minister also condemned the conversion of designated green areas in Abuja into commercial parks and other developments.
He said some individuals had attempted to justify such developments by relying on historical claims about land allocations.
Wike said, “Because something that was done wrongly will not be corrected? No, we will not allow that. We won’t.”
He assured residents that desilting and other infrastructure interventions would continue in flood-prone areas, including Lokogoma and the Yakubu Gowon Crescent axis in Asokoro.
He also urged residents to support efforts to address flooding by properly disposing of waste and avoiding activities that could obstruct drainage channels.
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