Abdullahi Sule, governor of Nasarawa, has ordered the dismissal and prosecution of hospital staff allegedly involved in the sale of items donated to Umaisha General Hospital in Toto LGA.
Sule gave the directive on Wednesday during the swearing-in of eight commissioners, special advisers, permanent secretaries and board members at the Aliyu Akwe-Doma Banquet Hall, Government House, Lafia.
The governor also directed the commissioner for health to investigate the alleged sale and submit a report before the end of the week.
Sule’s directive followed a viral video in which Sa’ad Abdullahi, lawmaker representing Umaisha/Ugya constituency in the Nasarawa state house of assembly, questioned hospital officials over the whereabouts of items he donated to the facility.
The donation comprised 50 orthopaedic mattresses, 50 ceiling fans and 40 standing fans.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony, Sule said the lawmaker made the donation out of concern for the condition of healthcare facilities in his constituency.
“A very honourable member from Umaisha/Ugya recently bought a lot of mattresses and all kinds of fans, standing fans, ceiling fans, and the rest of that because he was concerned about what his local primary healthcare was undergoing,” he said.
Sule said he had directed the commissioner for health to investigate the matter and ensure that officials found culpable are dismissed and prosecuted.
“I have already asked the Honourable Commissioner for Health to investigate, to dismiss and fire the hell out of them, and after that, to prosecute them,” he said.
The governor said dismissal alone would not be sufficient, arguing that those responsible must face prosecution over what he described as an “inhuman attitude”.
He also directed the head of service and chairman of the state civil service commission to ensure that officials found culpable face appropriate disciplinary and legal action.
“Firing them to go free will not give us peace of mind until we prosecute them for this inhuman attitude of theirs. We cannot tolerate that,” he said.
