At least six employees of the Ministry of Health in Ebonyi State have been arrested for allegedly stealing government property.
The suspects were reportedly apprehended on Saturday night at the ministry’s premises while attempting to move the items to points of sale.
Governor Francis Nwifuru disclosed the arrests in a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Monday Uzor.
The statement read, “Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has ordered the arrest and prosecution of one Mr Ndukwe Ayansi and five others for allegedly diverting materials meant for the State’s Ministry of Health.”
The governor, who was on his way to inspect a project, spotted a Toyota Dyna truck being loaded with registers, books, and other materials from the ministry’s warehouse.
Upon further investigation, he discovered that patients’ data registers, cards, and other documents were being moved into the vehicle.
The statement added, “It was also discovered that all the documents had been sold without government approval.”
Speaking at the scene, Governor Nwifuru condemned the act, describing it as sabotage against the government’s efforts to reform the health sector.
He said, “You are selling government documents without approval on a Saturday afternoon. Our hospitals in rural areas are in need of registers, data entry forms, and hospital cards. Sadly, the ones provided by the government are being sold by you. This is pure sabotage to our efforts in the health sector, and it will not be tolerated.”
The suspects have been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.