Group Calls For The Impeachment Of Rochas Okorocha

The Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) has urged the state House of Assembly to impeach the Imo state governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha.

 

The AGPMPN urged the Imo state House of Assembly to impeach Rochas Okorocha on grounds of misconduct in the state.

The move by the association is in reaction to the closing down of all government health facilities and concessioning them to private ownership.
According to AGPMPN, the grounds for this action is based on violations of public safety of Nigerians in accordance with Section 305 (2)(c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
They claim that the poor state of government in Imo state and the grossly unconstitutional actions of Okorocha have jeopardised public safety, and thus constitute impeachable offences.
This Day reports that in a statement signed by the chairman of the organisation, Dr Philip Njemanze, the group claimed that the closure by the governor of all public primary, secondary and tertiary health centres in the state as well as his threat to close down all private hospitals has had  devastating effects on people in the state.
Njemanze said that as a result of the governor’s action, many people have lost their lives and others have been severely harmed.
He added that there was a total paralysis of all primary healthcare services in all rural areas of Imo state.
The AGPMPN chairman underscored the danger posed to public safety as a result of the direct actions of the Imo state government.
He therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to impose a state of emergency in the state.
“There is a collapse of all health services in the three major general hospitals and the Specialist Hospital in Owerri. Meanwhile, there are indications of rising incidence of diarrheal, tuberculosis, malaria and cholera and total absence of surveillance for the most dangerous diseases like Ebola, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and yellow fever.

“The state immunisation programmes, antenatal and post-natal care have been halted in most rural areas. Neonatal mortality, child mortality and maternal mortality are rising suddenly due to absence of first responders in the health system in the state.
“AGPMPN in the state drew attention of the general public to the state of emergency in health that has arisen with fast deteriorating effects on public safety,” the group said.
Governor Okorocha’s election into office has been upheld by the Supreme Court.  The court ruled in favour of Okorocha, dismissing the appeal filed by Emeka Ihedioha, the former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.