An anti-graft group, Advocates Against Corruption in Public Service in Nigeria, has demanded the investigation of the Acting Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar, Dr. Theo Onyuku, over allegations of falsification of age and employment records.
The group made the petition in a letter addressed to the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare through their legal adviser, Akiki Inam of Compass Artoney.
According to the petition made available to newsmen, the group accused the CMD of not being a credible candidate for the position due to what it described as his “questionable character” and dented records of service.
The group also probed the discrepancy between the year the acting CMD was employed in the service and when he did his residency.
The petitioner, who quoted the IPPIS number of the acting CMD and backed it up with his pay slip, further accused him of providing three different dates of birth in his employment record.
The petition partly read, “Theo provided different dates of birth: June 20, 1965, June 20, 1967, and June 20, 1968, in his employment records at the Administrative/Human Resource Department of the hospital.
“As of September 1997, when he was first employed in the hospital as a Resident Doctor, he gave his date of birth as June 20, 1965, as it was captured in his nominal roll of the hospital.
“In the record of service completed by him, he provided his date of birth as June 20, 1967, while he provided June 20, 1968, in his resume as found in his personal file in the hospital.
“We know as a matter of law that under Chapter 10, Section 4 of the Public Service Rules, 2021, it is a gross misconduct for an employee to enroll in the extant government’s payment platform by fraud or misrepresentation of his details.
“Chapter 2, Section 1(ii) of the rules says that the date of birth recorded on appointment by an officer shall not be changed throughout the career of the officer, and any contravention shall be regarded as an act of serious misconduct.”
Backed with documentary evidence, the anti-graft body also explained the alleged irregularity in the acting CMD’s academic and service records, noting that the record showed that Theo was first employed in the hospital service as a Resident Doctor on September 1, after completing his mandatory service in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The petition further stated that another record provided indicated that the CMD completed his NYSC in 2003, but the records clearly showed that as of September 1, 1997, he was not qualified to be employed in service as a Resident Doctor.
He said, “The foundation of his employment is morally dubious, criminally questionable, and suspicious and should be sanctioned in accordance with extant Public Service Rules.”
The group appealed that a proper investigation should be carried out and that appropriate measures should also be applied in redressing the allegations against Dr. Theo.
When contacted, the Acting CMD said he was aware of the petition but declined to speak on the issue since it was already under investigation.
“I won’t preempt the outcome of their investigation with any response. I’m sure all this will be made public by February.
“I, however, want you to know that anyone in a position of authority will always have oppositions,” he defended.
