Group defends UCTH CMD On ethnic cleansing allegation

Kinsmen of the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Professor Ikpeme Ikpeme, have risen in his defence, maintaining there was no ethnic cleansing or breach of civil service rules in the hospital. 

A group, “Concerned Staff” had accused the CMD of ethnic cleansing and non-adherence to civil service rules in the sack of some staff. They, therefore, asked the Minister of Health to step in to correct the alleged abnormality.  

But Eniong Abatim indigenes in Odukpani Local Council of Cross River State, yesterday, in a statement, by the Chairman of the community, Dr David Okon, frowned at the media report, saying it was sponsored to bring the character and the office of UCTH Chief Medical Director, Prof Ikpeme Asanye Ikpeme, into disrepute.

Okon described the allegation of ethnic cleansing leveled against the CMD as untrue. “It is a verifiable fact that out of 32 Heads of Departments and Units appointed directly by the Hospital, only 12 are Efik, of which only two are from Odukpani.”