By Asuquo Edem
The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has summoned the Commissioner for Health, the Permanent Secretary of the Hospitals Management Board, and the Chief Medical Superintendent of Ikpe General Hospital, Ini, to appear before it within two weeks over what lawmakers described as a constitutional breach.
This follows the embarrassing incident of September 16, when members of the Assembly’s Committee on Health, led by Hon. Moses Essien (Ibiono Ibom), were denied access to Ikpe General Hospital during an oversight visit. The hospital’s Chief Medical Superintendent, Dr. Ekemini Ukut, reportedly told lawmakers he was acting on instructions from the Commissioner for Health and the Permanent Secretary of the Hospitals Board.
Raising the matter of urgent public importance at plenary on Tuesday, Hon. Essien — who also chairs the Health Committee — described the obstruction as “an insult to the House” and a violation of Sections 128 and 129 of the 1999 Constitution.
“This was the 10th secondary health facility we visited, but shockingly, the Medical Superintendent told us he could not grant access. This is not only an embarrassment but also a contravention of the Constitution. The House must rise in defense of the legislature,” Essien declared.
Other lawmakers strongly backed the motion.
House Leader, Hon. Otobong Bob (Nsit Ubium), stressed that the legislature’s oversight role requires no prior notice. “If any committee visits an MDA, we must not be questioned. It is clearly spelt out in the Constitution. This must serve as a deterrent,” he said.
Hon. Kufre Edidem (Itu) likened the denial to “a man being locked out of his own house by the security he pays.” He reminded colleagues that all government institutions are funded through legislative appropriation and should therefore be open to oversight.
Hon. Prince Ukpong Akpabio (Essien Udim) suggested the refusal indicated “something to hide” at the facility, while Hon. Lawrence Udoide (Ini) expressed personal embarrassment, since the incident happened in his constituency.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Udeme Otong, described the development as a serious affront to the legislature. He consequently referred the matter back to the Committee on Health with a directive to summon the Health Commissioner, the Permanent Secretary of the Hospitals Management Board, and the CMD of Ikpe General Hospital to appear before the Assembly and report back in less than two weeks.
The standoff comes barely months after Governor Umo Eno declared a state of emergency on the health sector and announced the recruitment of 2,000 medical personnel, a move expected to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
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