THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, July 30, 2013
8 NEWS
Police begin investigations into cousins’ deaths in Imo From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri ORRIED by the sad inciW dent, men and officers of the Imo State Police Command at the weekend commenced investigations into the mysterious deaths of two cousins in one room. Police source told The Guardian in Owerri that the news was worrisome, leading to a detailed investigation into the ugly issue. The duo, the late Mathias Nwoko and Miss Anjela Ihuoma Anyanwu, were found dead while naked in a building under construction in their ancestral home in Umumpe, Umuevu, Okirika-Nweke, Ahiazu Mbaise Local Council of Imo State. A family source told The Guardian that a power-generating set was on at the corridor of the house while the late duo were allegedly there. The late Mathias, in his 45th year, the source said, was a wealthy man owning many Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) and Porsche cars, residing in Onitsha, Anambra State, while Angela, at about the 22nd year, was residing in Owerri before she visited home for the ordination and mass thanksgiving of their kinsman, the Rev. Fr. Anayochukwu Onuoha.
PDP names Dikko disciplinary committee chairman From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja Republic Transport ShasECOND Minister, Dr. Umaru Dikko, been appointed chairman of the disciplinary committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A statement issued yesterday by PDP Acting National Publicity Secretary, Tony Okeke, said the committee is made up of seven members, including King A.J. Turner, who would serve as the deputy chairman. Other members are Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun, Hajiya Nana Ayishat Kadiri, Mr. Hussaini Diraki and Senator Emmanuel Agboti, who serves as secretary.
Head, Wholesale Banking Finance, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), Nigeria, Mrs. Lara Bolodeoku (left); Head, Credit Analysis Global Corporate, SCB, Mr. Tersoo Bossua; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria, Mrs. Bola Adesola; Chief Risk Officer and Executive Director, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Stella OjekweOnyejeji and Chief Finance Officer (CFO), West Africa and Executive Director Nigeria, Mrs. Yemi Owolabi, during the Standard Chartered Finance Master Class 2013 held in Lagos.
‘Why Pate resigned’ • Doctors, pharmacists differ on replacement By Chukwuma Muanya (Lagos) and Emeka Anuforo (Abuja) ORE reasons are emergM ing on why the Minister of State for Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, resigned his office on Wednesday July 24, 2013, to take up appointment as a Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute, United States, and as Senior Adviser to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation based in Washington DC. Pate, born September 6, 1968, was appointed Minister of State for Health in July 2011 following his success as the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
However, Pate said the decision to resign followed careful consultations and was taken with the sense of utmost responsibility, patriotism and humility. “As you are already aware, I have also offered to continue supporting the work we have started in an honorary advisory role to Mr. President,” he said. Pate added: “I have accepted the position of a visiting professor at the Duke University’s Global Health Institute, U.S.A., in which capacity I will be involved in an Africa-wide initiative and will also likely serve as Senior Adviser to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation based in Washington DC. These new roles will complement my offer to Mr. President to continue with
part-time service in support of Nigeria’s polio eradication and the Saving One Million Lives’ Initiative.” But The Guardian investigations, however, revealed that Pate has been appointed an adjunct Professor of Duke University, United States, since 2009 while he was still the Executive Director of NPHCDA, which it reported. So why would Pate resign four years later? Sources from the Presidency told The Guardian that Pate resigned due to irreconcilable differences with the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, and frustrations and bureaucracy in the country’s civil service. It was learnt that the two ministers were hardly seen together in the last one year and disagreed on so many issues concerning the delegation of duties and power in
the ministry. The cold war was quite visible during the last World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, where both Pate and Chukwu hardly sat together. Pate, however, in a telephone chat with The Guardian yesterday, denied these insinuations and insisted that he resigned to take up the appointment with Duke University. But another interesting twist to Pate’s resignation is that despite acknowledging even his driver and security aides in a statement confirming his exit, he did not give Chukwu a mention. “Finally, and most importantly, I wish to state that none of what I contributed in office would have been possible without my immediate core staff - Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, Dr. Labaran, Grace Natson, Dr. Tokunbo Oshin, Dr. Muntaqa, Dr. Saidu, Aminu Naiya, Hallah Tashkalmah, Dalhatu my protocol officer, Hallilu, my driver, Mohammed Haruna and the security detail I worked with day and night over the last two years,” he said. However, mixed feelings have greeted the development. Doctors and pharmacists are already recommending who will replace Pate.
The pharmacists, under the umbrella of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), told The Guardian: “Pate was frustrated out of the system by those in authority.” President of PSN, Mr. Olumide Akintayo, asked President Goodluck Jonathan “to be bold enough to tackle the forces that frustrated Pate out of the system by reacting appropriately.” Akintayo said Pate would be missed because he is a seasoned professional with international exposure and was leading Nigeria to the Promised Land until his resignation. “He is a perfect gentleman and did not want to fight dirty. That is why he quit,” Akintayo said. He said Pate should be commended because it is rare to see a Nigerian resign from his or her exalted position. On Pate’s replacement, Akintayo urged Jonathan to use his office and the opportunity to address the injustice in the health sector by appointing a seasoned administrator from any other professional body in the health sector other than a doctor. However, doctors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), disagreed with the PSN.