Governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State has inaugurated panels to conduct internal financial audit at the Imo State University, Imo State University Teaching Hospital and Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo.
The governor, while inaugurating the panels and the State Health Management Board at the Sam Mbakwe Exco Hall, said that the exercise was a necessity to enhance the quality of education and health care delivery as well as ensuring overall growth and development of the state.
A statement from the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Public Enlightenment, Prince Eze Ugochukwu, quoted Ihedioha as saying that at the inception of his administration, he has received many complaints on education sector in the state, especially at the tertiary level.
He said, as a responsive government, he felt that he would be abdicating his obligation to the people, if he does not look into the complaints.
He said that the setting up of the visitation panels was in furtherance of his mission to rebuild the educational institutions with the hope of achieving effective governance institutions as well as strengthen educational services delivery in the state tertiary institutions.
Ihedioha hinted at upgrading four of the general hospitals to specialist hospitals, stressing that out of 19 General Hospitals under Imo State network of health services, only 10 were still in operation. Of these 10, only four were offering reasonable services while all of them were suffering from lack of modern hospital equipment, moribund processes and demoralized staff.
The terms of reference of the panels include, to identify the strength and problems of the institutions and make appropriate recommendations to the visitor; ascertain the operations of various departments and units; look into cases of procurement and complaints bordering on cliques and cultism in the institutions; investigate students’ complaints on various issues as well as conduct internal audits on institutions’ finances.
