UPDATE (ABIA N480M): Former Health Commissioner Dr. Ahukanna Fights Back, Dr. Ukauwa Reveals More Details

As the investigation into the alleged misappropriation of N480Million Save One Million Live (SOML) program in Abia State is ongoing, former Abia State Commissioner for Health Dr. John Ahukanna responded to ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER exclusive report yesterday.

In the exclusive report, ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER published a clarification letter where the pioneer program manager of SOML Dr. Ukauwa Charles revealed how N480Million released for the program by the Federal Ministry of Health in 2016 was allegedly misappropriated. CLICK TO READ FIRST DETAILED REPORT.

In the response, Dr. Ahukanna disagreed with the facts posited by Dr. Ukauwa. Ahukanna stated that Ukauwa was the one that misadvised the leadership of the state into buying x4 vehicles and that Ukauwa was using the initial fund for jamboree.

READ DR. AHUKANNA RESPONSE BELOW:

To the best of my knowledge, Dr Ukauwa was the pioneer program manager of SOML that I met upon arrival in the SMOH

2. The funds for SOML did not hit the state’s CBN account till sometime in May/June 2017, by which time the state EXCO was in dissolution.
3. That upon my return for a 2nd tenure 5months later, Dr Ukauwa had stepped on the toes of his promoters by using part of the initial funds for a jamboree, inclusive of mis-advising the leadership of the state into buying x4 vehicles (2 Hiluxes and 2 hiace buses all in utter disregard for the advise given by the WB/FMOH
4. That upon my return, I approached our Principal who okayed his immediate replacement with a more responsible officer who indeed took that program to an all time high where we won more cash awards for diligent application of those funds(see award photo)
5. An aggrieved Dr Ukauwa would go on to hire an office outside the SMOH and still pretended to be running an office for SOML, a scenario that occasioned an unscheduled visit by all Directors of the SMOH, led by me to that office he hired in order to evade monitoring, and where-in we found both him and his wife occupying different wings of the said building. Suffice it to say that Dr Ukauwa’s profuse apologies are still public and domiciled in the archives of the SMOH.

Finally, am aware Dr Ukauwa has since then remained disgruntled as he had tried unsuccessfully to get onto another project, a situation that in my opinion remains untenable, having breached the trust of the state ab-initio. I am aware he imagines he can lie his way into yet another position of responsibility by lying to the new sheriffs in town.

My simple advise to him is that public documents like those archived in the SMOH , do not lie. He should dust up his medical books, pick up his stethoscope and go and practice medicine, his core mandate and training and quit trying to malign people and manipulate Abians.

Gozie John Ahukannah Dr

Stewarton, Scotland, UK

10/7/33 @ 15.57 hrs

But in another quick responses, Dr. Ukauwa countered the statement made by Dr. Ahukannah stating that Ahukannah is contradicting himself by being a spokesman for activities he claims he was absent when they transpired.

READ FULL DETAIL BELOW:

RESPONSE TO WRITE-UP ATTRIBUTED TO DR. JOHN AHUKANNA

I wish to state the following in response to the publication attributed to Dr. John Ahukanna, former Commissioner of Health, Abia state.

1. I did a full expenses report at the time I was removed and it hasn’t been disputed till date, it was also a similar report I submitted to the panel of inquiry in 2019 and I was never indicted. Dr. Ahukanna contradicts himself by being a spokesman for activities he claims he was absent when they transpired.
2. The allegation of funding a jamboree is most unfair and untrue. I stated the activities I supported and we had 6 signatories. 2 cashiers as first line signatories, Ota Ndukwe and Stella Ojukwu, 2 reviewers namely Ugboaku Ukaegbu (program accountant), Director Finance (Mrs Cordelia Nwokoro) and then 2 approvers myself and Mr. Uchechukwu Agomoh (Director PRS).

I also stated clearly the activities we carried out and paid for under my watch and there was no jamboree, I beg the accusers to state the activity or budget item that was a jamboree. I have a detailed breakdown of every activity and the cost.

3. An office was rented for the project as approved and that was moved into ahead of our first quarterly assessment by national Office of the program, it was one of the approved items and the cost is in the expense report. I have attached a document that proves the place was acquired while he was still commissioner in May 2017, and with his consent.
4. I did a detailed handover document and stated all the above and it was never disputed by the ministry of health.
5. It is really a joke to say I deceived the new team or ministry leadership to buy 4 vehicles at the cost of 100m naira which was bought in one week when there were many other project vehicles to leverage on. The plan at my time was to buy a Ford ranger and fix other vehicles, this was because we had a competition on the project among states and prudent administration of funds would help us reach more beneficiaries. We didn’t buy or fix any eventually because we were removed. How could I deceive a team that was opposed to our style, and they ended up squandering almost all the fund within a month in addition to buying 4 vehicles @100m (specs that were at the time not more than 16m each, squandering close to 40m on the deal). Vehicle purchase goes through a long process of application, approvals and quotations, I hope the accusers have their proof of who applied for the vehicles and the representatives of the six signatories who paid for the items.

We had a serious national assessment coming up and the goal was to carry out services that could give us the needed result when they visited the communities and interviewed beneficiaries, so while other states looked for funds to support the initial grant, the new team procured massively instead of providing widespread services.

Talking about misleading the next team, that’s a big joke as they jettisoned most of the activities that could have given the state maximum results, For example we had 150 healthworkers at 3 levels of supportive supervision to the various primary health centers and communities (for which they were paid) and they slashed it to a mere 10 man team or less in order to have quantum funds to share among themselves to the detriment of quality of the activities, beneficiaries health and well-being. Thus denying several healthworkers the opportunity to regularly build their capacities, receive project allowances for their efforts and generally improve the economy of our dear state.

6. I bet any of the accusers to mention anyone in the Abia state health system, both heading a program/project or not, who has near the magnitude of evidence of contributing to the Abia state health system.
7. With the issue of my competence to handle the program activities, I have already submitted appropriate evidence to the investigators, of testimonials from the national team.
8. I was very much expecting swift responses to the news publication when I saw it was published and my letter had gone into public domain, but I am glad that I have stated the facts and its very easy to prove financial transactions using bank statements which will clarify who spent what. I have tried as much as possible to stick to the facts of the matter especially as they pertain to public funds, and not persons and I am very willing to give more evidences to prove my position and claims, in addition to the ones I have made available to the investigators.
9. It is very unfortunate the Dr. Ahukanna  according to the statement,  forgot a lot that transpired even when he was on seat as Commissioner as it pertains to SOML. The issue of office space for the program was a keen prerequisite for assessing the fund and a major score was allotted to it. On May 25th 2017 while he was Commissioner and before the program find dropped, we had a steering committee meeting where the Federal Ministry of Health team briefed updated us on our performance in the first quarter assessment. They commended my competence profusely and also went on to state that the presence of a new office helped significantly to achieve the 65% which was outstanding. I have attached images of the minutes during the steering committee meeting. This means therefore that we acquired the office 3ven before the fund dropped in order to meet up funders requirements and score well. I worked with a few others to negotiate with the landlord of the facility to give to us in truest pending when the fund arrived and paid a small deposit, the balance of the 2 years rent was paid when we had assessed the fund in June 2017. It is consequently very untrue for him to disparage the acquisition of an office space for the project.
10. Again much as I don’t want to say too much, I need to clarify issues. SOML was a performance based financing program of program for results and the rewards yearly were public or should have been public. The first 1.5m USD was public, following year Abia joined a few other stated that didn’t do well to get a loan of 1m USD which each state was to refund (I had left at the time). Beyond that the future program fund/reward if truly significant and made public should have impacted the health sector and beneficiaries significantly within the 3 years life span in the 17 LGAs of Abia state.  Light doesn’t hide.
11. It is very clear that after I left the program, the funds were massively misappropriated and it affected negatively the fortunes of the program in the state. I would like to suggest that a deep investigation is done to convince all about the facts of this project and how the funds were diverted. The rot in other projects and agencies in health should also be probed. He who comes to equity must do so with clean hands.

Yours Truly,

Dr. Ukauwa Charles

           Focal Person: Abia State Health Resource Mobilization Committee

08035892099

doctorcharlesng@gmail.com