Oshiomhole to recall sacked Perm-Sec, CMD as Speaker pleads

Reprieve may have come the way of the sacked Permanent Secretary in the Edo State Hospitals Man­agement Board, Dr Ofure Eboreime and the Chief Medical Director (CMD)of the Central Hospital, Benin City, Dr Edith Kayode-Iy­asere, as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Uyi Igbe has pleaded for their reinstatement.

The duo were relieved of their appointment, last week, by Governor Adams Osh­iomhole for their roles in en­gaging casual workers in the Central Hospital.
Igbe who led the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Hon Philip Shaibu, Hon Eliza­beth Ativie and Hon Folly Ogedengbe to the Governor’s office to plead for the sacked doctors begged the Governor to temper justice with mercy.
He said: “We are here, the leadership of EDHA, to see you concerning Dr. Ofure Eb­oreime, the Permanent Sec­retary, Hospital Management Board and Dr. Mrs. Edith Iyasere, Chief Medical Direc­tor, HMB. The House Stand­ing Committee on Health one time went to the Hospital and did oversight functions there and we found that Dr Ebore­ime is somebody who is very competent and capable.
“We are here to appeal to you sir, to on compassionate grounds temper justice with mercy and recall these two persons, Dr. O. Eboreime and Dr. Mrs. Edith Iyasere”.
He added: “We know that normally, you will not com­promise on standards. We appreciate that, because that is the reason Edo State has moved to the position it is to­day. Sir, I am sure, every now and then, people make mis­takes and I am sure this is one of the mistakes that people make and I ask on their behalf that you please forgive them”.
Ogedegbe, who represents Owan East constituency, also joined his voice in appealing to the Governor to temper justice with mercy and rein­state the duo.
According to him, “Even then as NLC President, we know your stand on casu­alisation, you fought against casualisation of workers and I can imagine how embar­rassed you were when you got to know that there were casual workers in the state service, where you have long given di­rectives that it should not be.
“So on behalf of my own constituency, Owan East and the good people there, I want to appeal to you to please temper justice with mercy and forgive Dr. Ofure Ebeo­reime and his colleague, Dr. Mrs. Edith Iyasere, the Chief Medical Director and rein­state them .  Responding, Governor Os­hiomhole said, “As a parlia­ment that is representative of the people, one that has its ears to the ground and one that is committed to the elec­torate, I know that when we take decisions, we do receive pressure, but let me explain the reason why I took the de­cision.
“I am very privileged to be here and I myself I am an em­ployee and all my life, what I have done for a living is to defend workers”.
He however assured the leadership of Edo State House of Assembly that as a respon­sible parliament, he will not fail to heed to their plea and urged them to bring the af­fected persons to his office on Monday, the 10th of No­vember, 2014 to explain the rationale behind their actions and properly apologize to the people of Edo State after which they may be reinstated.