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Nigeria: Health Ministers Quit
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Vanguard (Lagos)
26 March 2008
Posted to the web 26 March 2008
Ben Agande and Inalegwu Shuaibu
Lagos
HEALTH Minister, Professor Adenike Grange, and her Minister of State, Mr. Gabriel Aduku, an architect, have resigned on the strength of the allegations of corruption in the ministry.
The ministry's Permanent Secretary, Professor Simon Ogamdi; the Director of Administration, Dr. H. B. Oyedepo; the Director of Finance, Hanafi Muhammed, and 11 other officials have also been sent on suspension pending further disciplinary action against them.
Presidential spokesman, Mr. Segun Adeniyi, said yesterday that the resignation of the ministers was to enable them answer allegations of corruption levelled at them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Presidency's statement
His words: "President Umaru Yar'Adua today (yesterday) accepted the voluntary resignations of the Minister of Health, Professor Adenike Grange, and the Minister of State (Health), Arc. Gabriel Aduku.
"Both ministers are leaving the Federal Executive Council following charges of corruption brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
"It is expected that without the burden of their ministerial duties, they will be better placed to respond to the charges against them.
"President Yar'Adua has also ordered the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Engr. Ebele Okeke, to direct that the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health, Prof. Simon Ogamdi; the Director of Administration, Dr. H.B. Oyedepo; and the Director of Finance, Hanafi Muhammed, who participated in the subversion of his directive on the return of unspent Budget 2007 funds to the Treasury should proceed on immediate suspension in accordance with extant civil service rules pending further disciplinary action by government.
"Another Director, Mr. M.S. Hamid; a Chief Accountant, Abdulrahaman Ambali; a Principal Administrative Officer, Mr. Donald Ekanem; a Principal Transport Officer, Mr. Donatus Iyang; and seven other civil servants in the ministry were also affected by the suspension order.
"The Minister of Labour, Dr. Hassan Muhammad Lawal, is to oversee the affairs of the Federal Ministry of Health until further notice."
Shortly before Mr. Adeniyi's press conference, the two former ministers were seen leaving the President's office with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe. They declined to speak to reporters.
The EFCC has, in the last few weeks, been investigating the disbursement of N300 million being unspent money from last year's budget of the Health Ministry. The money was allegedly shared by officials of the ministry as "productive bonus," whereas the President had directed that all unspent money be returned into government coffers.
The ministers were sworn in on July 27, 2007 along with others. They are the first to quit President Yar'Adua's cabinet.
Vanguard gathered yesterday that their resignation letters were turned in during the Easter holidays.
Sources also said the Presidency has issued a directive that the account books of other ministries be examined immediately to ascertain their compliance with the directive to return their unspent votes for 2007.
Resignation of Ministers paralyses activities
Activities at the ministry were practically paralysed yesterday once the news of the resignations reached the workers.
Some of the offices were locked, although a few staff were seen moving around.
Prof. Grange, who was expected to address a press conference to mark the World Tuberculosis Day and also receive guests from the Yar'Adua/Jonathan Solidarity Group, was not available.
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Journalists who had gathered for the event were told by the minister's Chief Press Secretary at about one in the afternoon that she had gone to Aso Rock for urgent matters.
The event was later postponed indefinitely when it was confirmed that the ministers had resigned.
Mr Aduku was at the ministry shortly after tendering his resignation letter but declined to comment on the issue.
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