Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, the suspended Abia State Commissioner for Health, tendered her resignation letter to Governor Alex Otti on Thursday, forty-three days after her suspension.
Governor Alex Otti had suspended Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, the Abia State Commissioner for Health, on June 11, due to allegations of misconduct and infractions.
Okey Kanu, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, who announced Okoronkwo’s suspension, said it was “to pave the way for the investigation of allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the commissioner”.
“Governor Otti’s action is in line with his zero tolerance policy for misconduct of any kind, and strong adherence to the twin principles of transparency and accountability in governance to ensure that actions of appointees must at all times advance the good and well-being of Abians,” Kanu had said.
However, the government, in a statement on Thursday by Governor Otti’s Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, said the suspended health commissioner had resigned.
Ukoha said, “The governor while accepting her resignation, thanked Dr. Okoronkwo for her services to our dear state and her modest achievements in repositioning the health sector for better service delivery in the last year. He wished her well in her future endeavours.
“The governor reiterated his commitment to the transformation of Abia State and reminded Abians that they gave him the mandate to assemble his team, and this includes hiring, suspending or sacking his appointees or rejigging and reshuffling his cabinet whenever the need arises for the sole purpose of delivering all his promises to the people.”
Okoronkwo’s resignation brings to three the number of commissioners who have left Otti’s cabinet since the administration started in May 2023.
On July 17, the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Chima Oriaku, and the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof Monica Ironkwe, tendered their resignation from the government.
Meanwhile, Okoronkwo, who resigned on Thursday, said, she did no wrong.
Confirming her resignation to our correspondent on the phone, she said, “Yes, I resigned. They finished their investigation two weeks ago. They didn’t finish it today. We had the last panel sitting two weeks ago.
“There is no trouble. I didn’t commit any offence. I know I didn’t do anything. If I had committed any offence, it would have been on the Internet. Nothing is hidden in government. So, there is no trouble.”
