Group Calls For The Impeachment Of Rochas Okorocha

The Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) has dragged the Imo state governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, to the state House of Assembly to promptly initiate his impeachment.

The AGPMPN urged the Imo state House of Assembly to impeach Rochas Okorocha on grounds of misconduct in the state.

The move by the association is in reaction to the closing down of all government health facilities in form of concessioning them to private ownership.
According to AGPMPN, the grounds for this action is based on violations of public safety of Nigerians in accordance to Section 305 (2)(c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
They claim that the poor state of governance in Imo state and gross unconstitutional actions of Okorocha have jeopardised public safety, thus constitute impeachable offences.
This Day reports that in a statement signed by the chairman of the organisation, Dr Philip Njemanze, the group opined that the closure by the governor of all public primary, secondary and tertiary health centres in the state as well as threatening to close down all private hospitals has had  devastating effects on people in the state.
Njemanze said as a result of the governor’s action, many people have lost their lives and others severely harmed.
He added that there was a total paralysis of all primary healthcare services in all rural areas of Imo state.
The AGPMPN chairman underscored the danger posed to public safety as a result of the direct actions of the Imo state government.
He therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to impose a state of emergency in the state.
“There is a collapse of all health services in the three major general hospitals and the Specialist Hospital in Owerri. Meanwhile, there are indications of rising incidence of diarrheal, tuberculosis, malaria and cholera and total absence of surveillance for the most dangerous diseases like Ebola, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and yellow fever.

“The state immunisation programmes, antenatal and post-natal care have been halted in most rural areas. Neonatal mortality, child mortality and maternal mortality are rising suddenly due to absence of first responders in the health system in the state.
“AGPMPN in the state drew attention of the general public to the state of emergency in health that has arisen with fast deteriorating effects on public safety,” the group informed.
It would be recalled that Governor Okorocha’s election into office has been upheld by the Supreme Court.  The Apex Court ruled in favour of Okorocha, dismissing the appeal filed by Emeka Ihedioha, the former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.