Suspended Abia Health Commissioner, Finally Resigns

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo, the suspended Abia State Commissioner for Health, has finally bowed out of office.

A statement by Governor Alex Otti’s Media aide, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, on Wednesday, July 24, said the embattled Health Commissioner’s resignation has been accepted by the Governor.

The Source reports that Dr Okoronkwo was on June 11, 2024, suspended from office by Governor Otti.

The State authorities had cited some alleged official misconducts and the need to investigate same as reasons for her suspension.

Governor Otti had, also, insisted the Commissioner was not sacked as some  people had speculated, noting that she was only asked to step aside to allow for an unfettered inquest into the allegations raised.

He promised that the Commissioner will return if not found wanting.

But she was said to have resigned on Tuesday July 23. The statement noted that the State Governor while accepting the resignation, also, appreciated her services and contribution to the health sector.

“The suspended Abia state Commissioner for Health, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo, has tendered her resignation letter to the Executive Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr Alex Chioma Otti,.

The Governor, while accepting her resignation, thanked Dr Okoronkwo for her services to our dear state and her modest achievements in repositioning the Health sector for better service delivery in the last one year. He wished her well in her future endeavours.

The Governor reiterated his commitment to the transformation of Abia State and reminded Abians that they gave him the mandate to assemble his team and this includes hiring, suspending or sacking his appointees and/or rejigging and reshuffling his cabinet whenever the need arises for the sole purpose of delivering all his promises to the people”, the  Governor’s CPS stated.

But no mention was made about the state of the investigation and/ or its outcome.

With her resignation, the erstwhile Health Commissioner, joins her  two other former colleagues from Agriculture and Science and Technology Ministries who left in similar circumstances a couple of weeks ago.