The attention of the Initiative for Transparent Strategy and Good Leadership has been drawn to a press release circulated on social media, credited to one Paulinus Nsirim, the commissioner for Information in Rivers State on the above subject matter wherein he tried beyond human imagination to make scurrilous remarks against the Chief Medical Director of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Prof. Henry Ugboma. It is on record that Paulinus Nsirim was until his appointment as commissioner, the permanent secretary, ministry of information. He refused to resign as permanent secretary or apply for a leave of absence according to the civil service rule, yet he is parading himself as the commissioner for Information.
We Challenge him to make public documents thereto, showing he truly resigned or apply for a leave of absence. Even backdated copies will be accepted in good faith. It is not in our characters to respond to baseless and unfounded allegations where unimaginable things were said against those holding public positions of trust such as this, thereby using vocabularies to deceive the reading public, but because Prof. Henry Ugboma, is holding a sensitive position of TRUST (AN INSTITUTION THAT SAVE’S LIFE MEDICALLY) and we can not allow our fate to be by chance. We hereby write as follows:
That the Chief Medical Director of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Prof Ugboma with respect to his antecedents, is a man of honour who has reached the apogee of his carrier as a Professor and the Chief Medical Director of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital which were on merits. That the bases of which Rivers State Government through the commissioner for Information issued a press statement condemning the good deeds of Prof Ugboma was because he thanked President Buhari for the refund of the #78.9b owed to Rivers State Government on federal roads constructed by the past administration of Amaechi, congratulated the Hon. Minister for Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who was then the Governor of Rivers State that constructed the federal roads that earned us the refund and ADVISED Gov. Wike to use the money judiciously to better the lives of Rivers people. We wonder what would have angered Rivers State Government and her officials for someone to appreciate a kind gesture like this. Is it that they have contrary views to fraudulently embezzle the money secretly? Only God knows.
That the appointment of Prof. Ugboma as the Chief Medical Director of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, was based on merit as the best among the contenders. Apart from being qualified, Prof. Ugboma scored the highest mark in the qualifying exams, came first position and was appointed on merit not on politics. The appointment of a Chief Medical Director of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, is not like appointing a commissioner which is open even to criminals as approved by the Governor. Recall that the appointment of a Commissioner do not have any condition precedent like the appointment of the Chief Medical Director of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital that had stages and procedures.
So, we wonder between Prof. Ugboma and Paulinus Nsirim who should be talking about professional competence. That we are astounded and perplexed, by the actions of Rivers State Government by unsuccessfully trying in vain to cast aspersions on the person of Prof. Ugboma and bring him to public ridicules because he publicly appreciated President Buhari for the refund of the #78.9b which the past administration of the Federal Government that Gov. Wike served as a minister, refused and rejected all demands and request for the refund. Our most regret is that Paulinus Nsirim said that the Rivers State Government have graciously thanked President Buhari for the refund of the #78.9b, yet the same person is condemning Prof. Ugboma doing same thing. What a government blowing hot and cold at the same time. This is indeed mischievous and worrisome.
That Prof. Ugboma did the best any human being can imagine in his proactive approach to to fight the Covid19 pandemic and further enlightened Rivers people on the deadly virus. Prof. Ugboma immediately made a passionate appeal to Federal Government, Rivers State Government, corporate organisations and individuals to assist the hospital with respect to Covid19 testing machines and other medical equipments. The Federal Government and Corporate organisations responded positively by providing a testing machine and other medical equipments. Prof. Ugboma didn’t stop at, he also calibrated one of the machines in the hospital to meet the Covid19 testing capacity which was successful and the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital now have two testing machines and isolation centres which Nigerians can attest to.
We are aware, that Prof. Ugboma’s crime against Rivers State Government was that he refused to keep quiet and allow Rivers people to die when he publicly raise an alarm that Rivers State Government have refused to assist the hospital with medical equipments knowing that Rivers people were and are still the highest beneficiaries of the hospital. Instead of Rivers State Government officials to respond with facts, they went ballistic, became economical with the truth and alternatively turn it to a political thing because Gov. Wike felt he is fighting Federal Government, thereby exposing Rivers people to danger. Despite the huge amount of money accruing to Rivers State Government monthly, Gov. Wike have refused to buy just one testing machine and a befitting isolation centre. When Shell Petroleum Develop Company brought two Covid19 testing machines to Rivers State, Gov Wike seized them till date. Paulinus Nsirim saying that Prof. Ugboma was cautioned when he wanted to play politics with Covid19 pandemic, is a lie from the pit of hell which Rivers people are aware of. Our consternation, is that Paulinus Nsirim is said to be a pastor (only God knows the Church he is pastoring and the type of Christianity he profess), but lies more than a juju priest who have no nexus believing he will make Heaven.
We wonder what else Paulinus Nsirim can not do, if he could support Gov Wike to go to the military mortuary and made away with the remains of his brother, His Royal Majesty, Eze Anele Oriebe, the King of Akpor Kingdom who died of heart attack but was alleged to have died of Covid19 to justify burying in the cemetery against the tradition of Ikwerre on the burial of a traditional ruler. This is because the late King was perceived to be against the policies of Rivers State Government. What a shame that Paulinus Nsirim will live with till death. That it is obvious Paulinus Nsirim do not have informations about the current situation and happenings in Rivers State despite been the Commissioner for information. The petition though political, which Paulinus Nsirim is referring to, has been attended to and all the allegations against Prof. Ugboma were concocted, lies and have no iota of truth. The Hon. Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Dr. Chris Ngige, set up a committee to look into the petition and Prof. Ugboma was exonerated of all the allegations and the petitioners were mandated to write an apology letter. See the committee’s report dated 27th July, 2020.
It is very unfortunate, that Paulinus Nsirim do not know that Prof. Ugboma is not a member of the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors and therefore, have no business in deciding who will be the leader of the Association. Based on these and many more, we hereby demand as follows: 1. That Paulinus Nsirim must stop forthwith, from playing politics with everything in Rivers State. 2. That Paulinus Nsirim must stop forthwith from making scurrilous remarks against the Chief Medical Director of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Prof. Ugboma who is entrusted with a sensitive position of TRUST. 3. That Paulinus Nsirim should show the world his resignation letter or application for leave of absence as Permanent Secretary, ministry of information or he should stop parading himself as the commissioner for Information. Even backdated copies will be accepted. We, hereby, urge the public to disregard any comment credited to Paulinus Nsirim as his stock in trade is built on lies and nothing more. Chizy Enyi Esq, President General, Initiative for Transparent Strategy and Good Leadership. 10th August, 2020.
