Ngozi Okoronkwo, the suspended Commissioner for Health in Abia state, has resigned her appointment from Governor Alex Otti cabinet.
Otti, had on June 11, 2024, suspended the Commissioner for Health over alleged financial misconduct. The Governor also set up a committee to probe the allegations against her.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, who announced Okoronkwo’s suspension, said it was “to pave the way for the investigation of allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the commissioner”.
“Governor Otti’s action is in line with his zero tolerance policy for misconduct of any kind, and strong adherence to the twin principles of transparency and accountability in governance to ensure that actions of appointees must at all times advance the good and well-being of Abians,” Kanu had said.
However, the government, in a statement on Thursday by Governor Otti’s Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, said the suspended health commissioner had resigned.
Ukoha said, “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 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 or rejigging and reshuffling his cabinet whenever the need arises for the sole purpose of delivering all his promises to the people.”
Okoronkwo’s resignation brings to three the number of commissioners who have left Otti’s cabinet since the administration started in May 2023.
On July 17, Chima Oriaku the Commissioner for Science and Technology, and Prof Monica Ironkwe, the Commissioner for Agriculture, also tendered their resignation from the government.
Meanwhile, Okoronkwo said to the newsmen that she did no wrong before she resigned.
Confirming her resignation to our correspondent on the phone, she said, “Yes, I resigned. They finished their investigation two weeks ago. They didn’t finish it today. We had the last panel sitting two weeks ago.
“There is no trouble. I didn’t commit any offence. I know I didn’t do anything. If I had committed any offence, it would have been on the Internet. Nothing is hidden in government. So, there is no trouble.”
