Henry Onwe, Chairman, Cross River State Business Men’s Forum, has called for caution over the motion by the House of Representatives urging the Federal Government to suspend the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, Chief Medical Director, Ikpeme A Ikpeme, over the issue of medical house officers sent to the hospital and his refusal to accept them because of the lopsided nature of the list of medical officers sent in.
In a press statement made available to newsmen in Calabar, Onwe emphasised that caution on the matter has became necessary following the failure of the House of Representatives to carry out any investigation before adopting the motion by Iduma Igariwey, representing AfikpoSouth/AfikpoNorth federal constituency of Ebonyi State,
He said recent public discussions surrounding internship placement at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, have raised serious concerns, particularly claims that Ikpeme, acted on ethnic considerations in dealing with some medical graduates. “As a concerned citizen of Cross River State, and having followed the public discourse closely, acting on those allegations without careful investigation would be counter productive.”
Onwe insisted that for a matter that involves a body of the status of the national assembly, painstaking investigation ought to be carried out before reaching any decision or taking any action. “To reach a decision, there is compelling need for the House of Representatives to carry out thorough investigation where all the parties involved in the matter are given opportunity to fully express themselves and state their position the way it affects them before a decision is reached or an action is taken for the purpose of equity and, fairplay and justice”
While no process of this nature has been carried out, he faulted the decision of the House of Reps and called on all men and women of goodwill to stand up in defence of Ikpeme, so that the good work he is doing in UCTH, will face no truncations.
