THE Medical Director of Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Benin City, Dr. Imafidon Osama Agbonile swipes at the leadership of the Psychiatric Hospital Uselu Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited (PHUSMCSL) for orchestrating malicious media propaganda against his less than a year administration as the Medical Director of the hospital.
In a response to the earlier story published by Trojan.com.ng, Dr. Agbonile said all the crocodile tears of corruption allegations leveled against him and the one bothering on insensitivity towards the workers’ welfare are baseless and maliciously motivated to fulfill the futile dreams of the leadership of the cooperative of the hospital to cripple the hospital, financially.
“This allegation is NOT true but an attempt to cover up the massive corruption going on among the leadership which has culminated in their inability to give out loans to members and inability to pay interests and dividends to members (which occurrence is the first time in at least 20 years I have been a member of the cooperative).
“Lately, they bought an “official vehicle” worth millions of naira without authorization of members whereas interests and dividends are yet to be paid! An additional point to note is that despite the provisions of the constitution and the state byelaws guiding cooperatives which provides for statutory ordinary general meetings and the annual general meetings where major decisions are taken, the current leadership has refused to call any meeting for years instead organized a kangaroo “election” in an undisclosed location instead of the hospital conference hall or hospital football field which is the usual venue for its events.
“The uproar that followed the flawed “elections” and massive corruption led to series of protests by aggrieved staff who were denied loans while cronies of the leadership were being given “double loans” (in an instance, a crony was already on a loan of N1.5M and was given another loan in the region of same amount making almost N3M whereas his annual salary is less than N2M!).
“Furthermore, the current leadership has been embroiled in massive fraud and double-dealings in land racketeering which has set them on a collision course with the members who bought land at okhoromi about 4 years ago. Many members have beseeched me to intervene on their behalf but the EXCO instead wrote a very insulting letter to management claiming “meddlesomeness” and “interference” in the affairs of the cooperative!
“A cursory look at their submitted list for deductions of members’ contribution revealed an alarming rate of financial insolvency among members e.g a member whose salary is 120k is left with a take-home of 10k! This is clearly a violation of public service rule which prescribes that indebtedness cannot infringe on salary take home below 1/3. In view of this, the management asked the cooperative to strengthen its loans disbursement process to curtail this clear breach of PSR but they refused, instead claiming that they are “independent” of the hospital management and the management board.
“In view of the danger of Hospital management being found culpable and faulted for aiding in the breach of the financial insolvency rule of the PSR, the leadership were told that they may have to collect their members’ contribution themselves until the insolvency issues are resolved since they claim they are “independent”.
“Additionally, the rumour mills have been rife with stories of the extravagant lifestyle of the EXCO President, Vice President, and members (who are junior officers). It has been alleged that the Vice President, Mr. David Odiete who was GL level 10 officer until last year when the current MD magnanimously promoted him (despite his antagonistic and disrespectful nature) has erected a mansion in his hometown in Delta state as well as another series in Benin! Whereas his annual salary is less than N2 million!! Ditto for the President and another EXCO member Mr. Wellignton Ogierhiakhi and Mr. Balogban respectively. They both have houses and cars their salaries cannot account for them. They were living hand to mouth a few years ago until they got the “good fortune” of becoming EXCO members.
“Earlier this year, the astute and efficient chartered accountant who has been managing the accounts of the cooperative without blemish for many years was suddenly sacked without the normal procedure leading to a sack of any staff. She was sacked because she declined to assent to fraudulent withdrawals and loans not registered or documented in the usual way. They have since replaced her with a quack “accountant” who is the cousin and kinsman of the vice president Mr. David Odiete. This was done without any due process and without the knowledge of the cooperators.
“Furthermore, Mr. David Odiete who brazenly and ferociously intimidates all who dare to ask questions with his alleged cult membership, have threatened the sacked accountant to the point of silence!
Management has asked the EXCO of PHUMS to make available its indebtedness profile following incessant complaints, multiple petitions to management.
“Although this is a statutory requirement which was never an issue with previous leadership, the current leadership under Mr. Wellington Ogierhiakhi/David Odiete have refused to make this available thus bolstering the claim by members of massive corruption and fraud being perpetrated by the duo and their cronies.
“In an attempt to cover up and redirect attention from their unacceptable conduct, they went on a sabotage spree involving cutting the security fence mesh of the hospital behind the cooperative office in an attempt to stage a break-in and entry but thank God it was detected and foiled. They also evacuated unserviceable giant cooking gas cylinders (using the newly acquired vehicle they bought) returned from the hospital kitchen last year (changed after 10 years of use to avoid explosion) and turned around to blackmail the management with the incident.
“In the last few weeks, they have sabotaged the water pipeline by disabling the water boreholes! Indeed a few weeks ago, before the expected visit of a dignitary from Abuja, they disabled three boreholes in the hospital over the weekend!! Is it a coincidence that three boreholes all went bad in one day? Is it also a coincidence that ONLY the borehole servicing their abattoir was left intact?
“Indeed, the appeal is to the ALMITHY Wellington Ogierhiakhi and David Odiete to PLEASE stop these acts of impunity and brazenness which is robbing our cooperators including the MD their hard-earned money.
“Finally, it is pertinent to note that the MD himself is also a victim as he has been a cooperator for about 20 years and has huge investments which are being put at risk by the fraudulent and brazen acts of corruption by the duo of Mr. Ogierhiakhi and Odiete”, Dr. Agbonile said.
