FMC Owerri Impasse: FG Orders Workers To Resume Work Immediately
Workers of Federal Medical Center Owerri have been directed to resume duties with immediacy, following the wounding up of the six months management period given to the Interim Management Team to keep the hospital afloat.
Recall that Federal Medical Center Owerri in 2015 had erupted in series of strike actions by Unions who were opposed to a move by the hospitals Medical Director, Dr. Angela Uwakwem to establish a public private partnership system in the government orgnisation.
The workers had also rejected the continuous leading of the MD after she was alleged to have dabbled in fraudulent practices.
The impasse had attracted the federal government’s intervention through the Ministry of Health, which tried to help settle differences among workers.
The intervention had also placed Dr. Uwakwem on leave while setting up a committee to investigate the allegations. Part the peace moves by the FG was to inaugurate an Interim Management Team to provide clinical services to the state residents pending when the issues will be resolved.
According to FG, the six -month period of the IMT has elapsed and it was only needful get the hospital back to its full functional state.
The directive was revealed in a statement made available to the LEADERSHIP, yesterday.
It reads, “The IMT is hereby forthwith dissolved, to make room for a final lasting solution… After due consultation with stakeholders and relevant authorities, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) has decided that the substantive management of Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, led by Dr. (Mrs.) Uwakwem, shall resume its functions immediately and shall be supported by a team from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) Abuja.”
The FG also urged the workers to allow peace to reign and support the hospital management, as any action to create tension and trouble will attract penalties
“There must be no hindrance of access to, or movement within the facility. Acts of intimidation of staff willing to work will draw consequences. Unruly behaviour shall be squarely confronted”, the statement says.
