Umahi drags Presbyterian Church to court

Dave Umahi Ebonyi State Governor
Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State

Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has directed the Commissioner for Justice Cletus Ofoke to take legal action against the Presbyterian Joint Hospital Uburu over the intervention funds released to it by the past administration.

Umahi revealed this on Wednesday during a live broadcast in Abakaliki, the state capital.

The hospital is operated by the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria as a mission facility.

The governor accused the hospital of using the funds to establish a private university outside the state.

He said “no one would use the name of church to defraud the state”.

Ebonyi State Government had last month taken over the administration of the mission hospital after the expiration of the 100-year lease given to the hospital by Uburu community in Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state.

Umahi also announced the intention of the state government to hand over the COVID-19 treatment centre constructed by his administration to the Federal Government.

He said N4 billion was spent in the construction of the hospital, adding that he is moved to hand over the hospital to alleviate the bed space problem of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.