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From Judex Okoro, Calabar
A law firm, SHOLA GABRIEL & CO, has dragged the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, to Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged financial misappropriation, embezzlement, and diversion of funds.
The firm also prayed the Commission to carry out detailed investigation into the act and administration of the CMD, urging the Commission to invite the CMD for questioning in respect of all budgets and administration of funds since his appointment as the CMD, called on the ICPC to also invite the Board for proper clarification in a prompt manner
In the petition dated 26 , July 26, 2022 , the firm, SHOLA GABRIEL & CO, endorsed by NELSON LOUISA, Esq, claimed that from inception till date there has been several reports of misappropriation of public funds, misuse of public funds, deliberate withholding of payments due to contractors, diversion of public funds amongst others including but not limited to:
They alleged that construction of the one-kilometer road
through works department to the laboratory in addition to the UNICAL fence including the diversion to House Officers Hostel are all together not more than half a kilometer even as the CMD has re-awarded the same contract to a different construction company for 0ne hundred and fifty-eight million Naira only (158,000,000.00).
The firm disclosed that the contract in question was previously cleared and graded by a different contractor in the previous administration of Professor Thomas U.
The firm further accused the CMD of approving thirty nine million Naira (N39,000,000) for the maintenance of an existing open drainage (gutter) from the main hospital gate to Esuk Atu Village boundary which was in existence before the present administration came on board, adding that this administration only did a small stretch of the drainage and magnify the length and all the precast parts of the drainage were done before now.
According to them, the CMD has allegdely violated section 22(3) of The Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, by re-awarding the contract to another company ETIMEX ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.
“The suspect admitted to the board for embezzling the said funds. The suspect also re-awarded and approved forty million Naira (N40,000,000) to construct drainage from Accident and Emergency to Esuk Atu Village boundary which was pre-cast drainage constructed by the previous company that the contract was awarded to during the construction of the hospital.
“The CMD continuously used his office and position to confer unfair advantage upon himself by ensuring renovation projects within the permanent site of the hospital like anti-natal clinic, family, medicine, intensive care unit, eye clinic conference hall, granite hall e.t.c fall within the approval range of the chief executive. This unfair act is clearly a prohibition of the Public Procurement Act.
“The roads leading from works Department to house officers’ hostel and the road presently under construction from the entrance to the Laboratory building were included in the 2019, 2020 and 2021 budget for 20,000,000 (Twenty Million Naira) the said contract were neither awarded nor executed. However, the budgets were accounted for.
“Hospital revenue which ought to be paid through remita are being Diverted through a micro finance bank (ECONDO BANK) by Prof. Ikpeme A. Ikpeme since 2019 till date.
“This singular act of the Chief Medical Director of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) Calabar has violated section 22(5) of The Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
“The Chief Medical Director has also violated the provisions of section 10 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences 2004 by neglecting to pay contractors for contracts duly executed for the hospital,” the firm stated.
When contacted , the CMD, Prof Ikpeme, acknowledged receipt of the petition described it as rubbish, saying “the content is totally rubbish. But, I want to react to it with fact.”
