The Abia State government has vehemently denied rumors circulating that it has sacked all doctors under the state Ministry of Health, including employees of Enyimba Football Club.
The government branded the reports as fake news, but they claimed that a memo from Dr. Hemuka Rock Baile, the Director in Charge of the Abia State Ministry of Health, instructed doctors to reapply for their jobs and indicate their interest in working for the Hospital Management Board (HMB) and the ministry of health in Umuahia.
Similarly, another memo, allegedly signed by the Sporting Director of Enyimba FC, called for the reapplication of management, staff, and technical crew members of the club. However, the government dismissed these claims as false, attributing them to opposition forces in the state.
Ferdinand Ekeoma, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Alex Otti, clarified that the Ministry of Health initiated a revalidation exercise to address irregularities in the system and identify ghost workers.
Ekeoma described the alleged firing of Enyimba FC staff as a cunning plan to sow doubt and discontent, motivated by resentment over the government’s attempts to leave behind a destructive past that only benefited a small number of people while impoverishing the majority.