Governor Nyesom Wike has sacked the state commissioner for health, PrinceWill Chike, for not seeking his approval to host a preliminary session of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) in Port Harcourt.
Mr Wike announced the sack when the chairman of MDCN, Abba Wasiri Hassan, paid him a courtesy visit at the State House.
He noted that the decision of the now sacked health commissioner to host a preliminary session of the MDCN is “embarrassing” considering the state government is commissioning and flagging several projects the same day.
The governor said, “frankly speaking, I have never seen an embarrassment like this in my life. Everybody knows that it is not my nature to bring people and you cannot attend to them or host. So, whoever has done this will suffer for it.”
Reacting to Mr Hassan’s earlier request to build a tertiary hospital in each senatorial district in the state, Mr Wike said the appeal will not be granted due to insufficient funds.
“You have talked about siting tertiary hospital in each of the senatorial district, you know it is not possible. That is why in Nigeria we have a problem.
“When you go for your budget, you put all kinds of projects. You know it cannot work. Where will you get the money to site these in each of the senatorial district,” he asked.
He recounted his administration has constructed some zonal hospitals in Bori, Degema, Etche, Ahoada, and Omoku in a bid for citizens to have quality education.
He said huge resources have been invested into medical education especially in the Rivers State University College of Medical Sciences and the annual award of scholarship to 130 indigenes of the state studying medicine at PAMO University of Medical Sciences.
“You’ll agree that I have provided the necessary funds for all whatever you requested to give a standard medical college. Our partnership with PAMO is very interesting.
Further speaking, the governor said, “In fact, every year Rivers State government offers scholarships to indigenes,” and “this year we have approved 130.”
