The source, who preferred anonymity, also alleged how contracts are awarded by the CMD without due process.
A source has revealed how the Chief Medical Director at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Gwagwalada, Professor Bissallah A. Ekele, allegedly misappropriated COVID-19 funds and donations.
The source, who preferred anonymity, also alleged how contracts are awarded by the CMD without due process.
The source also told SaharaReporters that Ekele has refused to pay outsource staff such as cleaners, security staff and assistance staff, adding that some of them have died as a result of hunger.
Ekele is said to have also refused to pay workers their salary for about five months. It was gathered that he instead pays N2000 per week as COVID-19 incentive to frontliners and threaten to sack any staff that talks to the government about it.
The source said other illegalities carried out by the CMD include: "non-adherence to the public procurement act with the elimination of competitive bidding for the award of contract. Awarding of contracts to friends and relations while he also abolished the drug revolving fund.
"Non-payment of contractors who have committed money to execute several projects.Non-adherence to audit in receipt and use of COVID-19 item leading to non-accountability, misuse and misappropriation of COVID-19 and hospital items against the auditor-general's directive. Right now the audit department of the hospital is in a comatose state
"Yesterday, the hospital clinical activity was grounded as the doctors down tools especially the house officers. House officers are also on strike due to the bad management team of the hospital.
"Currently in the hospital, the office of the Chairman Medical Advisory Committee and CMD has been turned to audit distributing materials to Heads of Departments. The CMD runs a one-man show, not a team player and bad management skills characterized by arrogance and ignorance.
"Recently, he embarked on clinical research of blood collection of staff before the administration of vaccines. He has made several attempts to silence some anti-corruption NGOs, but the prayers of the sick who want quality care from quality healthcare workers will not go in vain.
"Till today, he has refused to account for the COVID-19 donations and gifts. He single-handedly received and disbursed everything in cash and kind. A recent investigation showed that 98% of the staff in the isolation centre are sad at the treatment they are subjected to by the CMD who referred to himself as the 'Lord of Isolation centre', and as the 'GO of isolation centre'.
"Recent polls conducted by an anti-corruption non-government organization revealed that the hospital is near collapse with rationing of basic workplace materials and the corruption in the system. He is serving the mighty to the detrimental of clean and comfortable hospital space. Welfare is zero, totally non-existence in UATH."
Non-Payment Of Outsource Workers Is Not Internal Problem – UATH Reacts
When contacted, the UATH Acting Public Relations Officer, Mr Michael Atiga, told SaharaReporters that the owing of the salaries of outsourced workers was not an internal problem, but from the Budget Office and the Federal Government.
He stated that the university management was “working to ensure that whatever problem is causing it can be sorted out.”
He said, “Recently, officials of the Federal House of Representatives were here to see and inspect the projects the hospital management is undertaking and they commended the CMD for a good job. Both the contracts awarded and workers followed a due process.
“As far as I am concerned, he is upright. As for the salaries they claimed he is owing concerning the ad hoc staff, the problem is not an internal problem. The problem is from the Budget Office and the Federal Government. It is not a problem that emanated from the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.
“There is a circular from the Head of Finance of the hospital telling the workers the efforts we have put in place to ensure that this issue is sorted out. The management is not resting on its oars. We are working to ensure that whatever problem observed is resolved.
“Before the CMD came in 2017, the salaries of the ad hoc workers were delayed for six months. It was he who cleared the money. So, how would the same man owe the salaries? The CMD will get back to you later but that is the much I can say.”
SaharaReporters observed some of the affected workers – a cluster of about 100 health workers on Tuesday morning in front of the administrative block – being addressed by a top management official over the issue of non-payment of their salaries.
One of the workers told SaharaReporters that the university management was non-chalant and had kept feeding them with promises without results.
“They have been meeting with us and giving several promises. It is time for action. We cannot feed our families with promises. We need concrete action from the university management. You can see how we gathered here. The morale for work is low,” a lady who spoke on the condition of anonymity said.