AfriPulse
The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital has suspended the salaries of more than 1,000 employees following the outcome of a comprehensive staff verification exercise.
This was disclosed by the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Chituru Orluwene, during a press briefing held to mark his first 100 da
According to Orluwene, upon assuming leadership, he discovered significant irregularities in the hospital’s staffing records. Although over 4,000 individuals were listed on the payroll, only about 2,000 were physically present and actively working.
He explained that the absence of a proper nominal roll prompted the management to initiate an immediate audit and verification process. The exercise revealed that approximately 2,000 individuals could not be accounted for, leading to decisive action.
“As part of efforts to sanitize the system, we conducted a verification exercise to establish an accurate staff record. Following this process, we identified a large number of unverified workers, and salaries of over 1,000 individuals have now been stopped,” he said.
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Orluwene noted that the findings have been forwarded to the Federal Government for further action, including the possible recruitment of qualified and committed personnel to fill gaps in the workforce.
Beyond staffing reforms, the CMD highlighted measures taken to curb financial leakages and improve operational efficiency in line with the policy direction of Bola Tinubu. He also announced a review of certain hospital charges, including reductions in treatment and mortuary fees.
As part of patient care improvements, the hospital has introduced a structured feeding programme for admitted patients, with a daily cost of ₦5,000 covering three meals.
Orluwene further revealed that the management has clamped down on unauthorized financial practices within the facility, including the use of personal Point of Sale (POS) machines by staff to collect payments.
Addressing environmental concerns, particularly the issue of mosquito infestation, he said the hospital had undertaken extensive sanitation efforts. These included repairing damaged underground pipes, clearing stagnant water, and evacuating waste from soakaway systems—steps that have significantly reduced the mosquito population within the premises.
Reaffirming his commitment to reform, Orluwene emphasized that his administration is focused on transparency, accountability, and tangible improvements rather than rhetoric.
Source: Goldmyne.tv | Read the Full Story…
