Nasarawa Governor orders dismissal, prosecution of hospital staff over alleged sale of donated items

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has ordered the dismissal and prosecution of hospital workers allegedly involved in the sale of items donated to Umaisha General Hospital in Toto Local Government Area of the state.

Sule gave the directive on Wednesday during the swearing-in ceremony 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 on the matter before the end of the week.

Sule said those found responsible would face appropriate sanctions, including dismissal and prosecution.

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.

On Monday, a video showing Abdullahi confronting hospital officials over the whereabouts of the donated items circulated on social media.

The lawmaker had visited the hospital to assess its condition and inspect the use of the items donated to improve healthcare services.

In the video, Abdullahi questioned a hospital staff member after being shown a mattress which he disputed was among those he had purchased for the facility.

“Why are you lying to me? How can you tell me this is the mattress I bought? Can I show you the mattresses I bought?” he asked while holding up his phone.

He also demanded an explanation for the whereabouts of the fans.

Abdullahi said he had previously been told that the mattresses were kept in the hospital store and asked officials to show him the wards where the items had allegedly been distributed.

He also expressed concern about the condition of patients at the facility.

“I bought them for my people. Where are the ceiling fans? I bought more than 50 ceiling fans, more than 40 standing fans. Where are they?” he asked.

“It is my money that I used to buy them for my people. Why will they be suffering? Look at the condition of the people here,” he said.

A hospital staff member later explained that about seven of the 50 mattresses had been temporarily given to discharged patients, with an arrangement for the items to be returned.

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