BY PRINCELY ONYENWE,IMO
Few days ago, the media was awash with congratulatory messages on the fifty two graduate doctors of Imo state university teaching Hospital Orlu.
On this therefore, governor Uzodinma’s Government was supposedly applauded for making it possible at least in his time as the governor of the state but the senator Okorocha’s side of the same APC Government through Sam Onwuemedo did not welcome the claim that it was the first of its kind in the state.
A release made open to 9News Nigeria reads as thus:
RE: THE FALSE CLAIMS BY THE IMO STATE GOVERNMENT, OVER THE 52 STUDENTS, SAID TO HAVE GRADUATED AS DOCTORS, FROM IMO STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, IMSUTH.
- THE GOVERNMENT IN IMO, HAD ON FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021 CLAIMED THAT THE 52 STUDENTS UNDER REFERENCE WERE THE FIRST SET TO GRADUATE AS DOCTORS SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE SCHOOL.THIS IS NOT TRUE.
- IN THEIR REPORT, THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALSO CLAIMED THAT THESE 52 STUDENTS HAD BEEN IN SCHOOL SINCE THE 2010/2011 ACADEMIC YEAR. THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER:
(1) These 52 Students reported to have graduated as Doctors last Friday, were not the first set, to graduate as Doctors from IMSUTH, Contrary to the claim by the Imo State Government and its media handlers.
(2) The first batch of Medical Students of the Imo State University, Owerri was admitted in the 1998/99 Session. And between the 1998/99 and 2021, would give one twenty-two years (22 years).
(3) The question now is, within these twenty-two years, where were the Students of the Institution admitted before the 2010/2011 Session, the current graduates were said to have been admitted? This question exposes the lies of the State government. And the government does not do its home work well, before coming up with these unfounded lies.
(4) Having established that Governor Hope Uzodinma led Government had lied over the graduation of Students from the College of Medicine, we want to State Categorically that the Institution had, under Senator Rochas Okorocha as governor, produced Doctors who had gone through the processes and have been practicing as Medical Doctors, with some of them, now Consultants.
(5) In Case governor Uzodinma and his government do not know, some of his Special Advisers as we speak, have their daughters and sons practicing as Medical Doctors for years now and they were Products of IMSUTH.
(6) It was a deliberate lie for the government’s handlers to claim that, “Under the previous administrations, IMSUTH was not able to gain approval from Nigeria Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to graduate her students”.
(7) On Thursday, September 18, 2014 for instance, IMSUTH graduated 56 Doctors. At the swearing–in /Induction Ceremony, the governor then, Owelle Rochas Okorocha charged the graduating Doctors to research and find a vaccine for the cure of Ebola Virus. He gave one hundred thousand naira to the best graduating Student, Dr. Oluedo Marcellina Izunagba. The Medical Director of the School then, was Dr. Frederick Anolue.
(8) And it may interest one to hear too that, the pioneer students of the College sat for the MBBS examination in 2008.
(9) Again, under Okorocha, all the Courses in the College were accredited. And Salaries and allowances of all the personnel were paid as at when due, unlike the trend today. With Doctors/Consultants being on Strike since the inception of the Current administration over non-payment of Salaries and allowances. And most of the lecturers have also left the Institution following the sorry situation in the Institution today.
(10) Under Okorocha too, the needed structures and facilities were made available at the Institution. We cannot begin to mention such structures and facilities in this outing. But we can do that, when challenged.
(11) We had also expected the government to tell the public how many of the Students took the exams for which 52 emerged triumphant.
(12) The more the government in Imo tries to run down administrations before it, the more it continues to shoot itself on the leg. No people-oriented government takes delight in blackmailing administrations before it. It shows bad Spirit.
(13) The Camphope government in Imo has Continued to invest heavily in falsehood or lies, in blackmail or propaganda and in passing buck or blame-game. The government should drop its penchant or desire for all these, because they are not virtues. And they won’t add any value to the government, but would rather continue to impugn on the image of the administration.
(14) We have taken the pain to do this, to keep the record straight. Thank you.
Sam Onwuemeodo is the
Special Adviser (Media) to the former Imo State Governor and Senator Representing Imo West Senatorial District, Senator Rochas Okorocha.
9News Nigeria (Owerri)
For inquiries on this news contact 9News Nigeria Imo State @08036856526
