Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has ordered the immediate dismissal and prosecution of staff at Umaisha General Hospital in Toto LGA, following allegations that items donated to the facility were sold instead of being used for patients.
Sule issued 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 in Lafia.
He also asked the state Commissioner for Health to investigate the incident and submit a report before the end of the week. The governor further instructed the Head of Service and the Chairman of the State Civil Service Commission to ensure those found culpable face both disciplinary and legal action.
The case came to light after a video went viral showing Sa’ad Abdullahi, the lawmaker representing Umaisha/Ugya constituency, questioning hospital officials about donated equipment.
According to the governor, the lawmaker had purchased the items out of concern for the hospital’s condition. The donation included 50 orthopaedic mattresses, 50 ceiling fans and 40 standing fans.
Speaking at the event, Sule said: “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 did not mince words about the punishment.
“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,” Sule said. “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.”
Background
On Monday, Abdullahi visited the hospital to inspect how the donated items were being used. In the video, he challenged a staff member over a mattress he said was not part of his donation, and demanded to know where the fans were.
“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.”
A hospital staff member responded that about seven of the 50 mattresses had been temporarily given to discharged patients with an agreement that they would be returned.
Sule said such conduct undermines public trust in healthcare and vowed the government would not overlook it.
