Onwuka Nzeshi
26 March 2008
Abuja — Former Minister of Health, Prof. Adenike Grange, yesterday said her sudden exit was "due to recent events" in the ministry, but maintained that while she accepted responsibility for what happened during her brief tenure, she was not accepting guilt since she was not the chief accounting officer of the ministry.
"I am leaving this cabinet because I consider my dignity, reputation and legacy - values that I have worked hard for and hold dearly. I am returning to my unblemished career which I have assiduously laboured for over the years with resounding success nationally and internationally and to the business of which I am familiar with - saving the lives of mothers and children across Nigeria and the world in general.
"As a professional and a technocrat, I must admit that the level of decay and corruption within the Ministry and the whole Nigerian system as we all know glaringly need to be decisively tackled and purged. I saw my invitation to serve on this cabinet as an opportunity for professionals to join in the extirpation and re-engineering of the whole system to move this great country forward expediently.
"I wish to clearly state that while I am not the chief accounting officer to the ministry; the fact is that the recent episode involving contracts and welfare packages happened under my leadership for which I accept responsibility but not the blame.
However my acceptance of responsibility should not be misconstrued as an admission of guilt but rather a path of honour for lapses and intrigues under my watch for which I unfortunately was not well versed in," Grange said.
Meanwhile, activities at the Federal Ministry of Health were brought to a stand still yesterday following the resignation of the ministers.
As early as 9 am, there were already warning signs that something was amiss. Most of the offices were under lock and key while few of the staff were seen moving around with no clear direction on the day's work.
Grange, who was expected to address a press conference to mark the celebration of the World Tuberculosis Day and also receive guests from the Yar'Adua/Jonathan Solidarity Group, was conspicuously absent from her desk. Both events were later postponed indefinitely but no reasons were given for the action.
Grange, THISDAY learnt, was at that time summoned to the Presidential Villa and was there until about 3pm when she tendered her letter of resignation.
At about 4pm, Grange had already started moving out of her office as some of her aides were seen moving her belongings out to the car park.
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While one cannot help but commend the professionalism and courage of Prof. Grange, as with overwhelming concern for her image and posterity of her name resigned. However, one must not lose sight of bigger questions raised by the imbroglio, like several others in all ministries.
How long would we continue to run (pack our bags)from responsibilities that so bewilder and bedevil us? Should she & others in her shoes not commit to fight this ill that has made us the "scar of the world"? Our poverty is legendary, corruption unequalled yet our wealth immense.
We must all be genuinely and… [Read Full Text]