Abia State government has increased the retirement age of the nurses from 60 to 65 just as it cleared the former commissioner for health, Ngozi Okoronkwo of alleged financial impropriety. Okoronkwo had been suspended from office by the government about two months ago over the allegation, but she resigned last month while the allegation was being investigated. The governor, Alex Otti announced these last weekend while featuring in this month’s live media interaction programme, tagged “Governor Otti Speaks” in Umuahia, the capital, Otti said the increase is part of the government’s agenda to improve and reposition the health sector and to make everything possible to make life easier for residents of the state.
He explained that the clearance followed the submission of the report of an investigative committee set up by the government into the allegation for which the amount involved was not disclosed. “I want to repeat that money was not stolen. There were procedures that were abused.
And since she offered to resign, the government decided to accept her resignation.”.