A Nigerian fake doctor, Martin Ugwu Okpe who worked in the Federal Ministry of Health since 2006 received about N17million in salaries and allowances for nine years.
The analysis of his pay checks by the Integrated Personnel and Payment Information System (IPPIS) shows that Okpe got N17m excluding tax and union dues.
Permanent secretary to the Ministry of Health, Linus Awute said the monies would be retrieved, even though he didn’t explain how.
An Abuja high court last Tuesday granted the fake doctor bail application for N1million, but the court will hear the case on October 10.
How the Fake Doctor practised in The Ministry of Health For 9 Years
The Federal Ministry of Health has released an official statement on the fake doctor saga through the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Linus Awute.
Fake doctor, Martins Ugwu Okpe
The Federal Ministry of Health yesterday, 9th of July spoke on the fake doctor saga that rocked the ministry.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Linus Awute, while addressing journalists in Abuja said the ministry would request for a refund of the salaries and other entitlements enjoyed by the doctor, Martins Ugwu Okpe in the past 9 years.
“It is important to place it on record that the Federal Ministry of Health does not employ any of its members of staff directly. He was recruited through the Federal Civil Service Commission which has the statutory powers to do so and then deploys such employed civil servants to any ministry, department or agency according to their discipline and relevance.”
According to the Permanent Secretary, the fake doctor, Martins Ugwu Okpe, a native of Ogbadibo Local Council of Benue State, stole the identity of one Dr. George Davidson Daniel who happens to be his childhood friend and bestman, to get himself a job at the sector through fraud. All the supporting documents he tendered were also stolen from his friend. His friend, Dr. George Davidson Daniel has offered to appear publicly to clear his name of the crime.
Proceeding with his statement, he also said: “Mr. Martins Ugwu Okpe was offered appointment by the commission on August 30, 2006 and was posted to the Federal Ministry of Health in September same year.
“The surprising thing about Ugwu’s appointment is that he applied for the job on October 10, 2006. He was subsequently offered the job on October 17, 2006 and he applied for an identity card on the 19th of the same month.
Awute said Ugwu assumed duties in November 2006 in the ministry where he worked in the Departments of Hospital Services and Health Planning Research and Statistics (HPRS). Ugwu, under a false identity as George Davidson Daniel passed only one promotion examination in 2013 which placed him on Grade Level (GL) 13 from GL 12.This was the sign of his incompetence as his mates are currently of GL 14 and above.
Mr. Ugwu was an argumentative and bellicose officer who tormented the lives of other colleagues, serving as a confidence trickster and an extorter. He was found to have perfected his trade of extortion not only as a member staff of the main ministry, but often harassed heads of agencies under the Federal Ministry of Health. “In his character, in May 2015, he raised a false alarm alleging that Ebola intervention funds were misappropriated, Awute stated.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Linus Awute reportedly made a long list of the attrocities perpetrated by the fake doctor which were geared towards tarnishing the image of the Federal Ministry of Health both nationally and internationally.
