ABIA HEALTH WORKERS CRISIS: VP expelled

BY ANAYO OKOLI UMUAHIA—THE crisis rocking Abia State chapter of Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, deepened yesterday with THE expulsion of its former Vice Chairman from Abia, Mr. Christopher Uche Ezekiel. Uche Ezekiel was expelled for alleged anti-union activities. The letter expelling him was endorsed by the Secretary General of MHWUN, Mr. Marcus Omokhuale. The Secretary of Abia chapter of MHWUN, Mr. Omini Ojah, who announced this at a news briefing in Umuahia yesterday, said the union had no leadership tussle in the state. Ojah, who spoke on behalf of the state executives, led by Chief Uchenna Obigwe, explained that the expulsion of Uche Ezekiel was a decision reached by the National Executive Council of the union in Abuja on April 3, 2014. ”The NEC acted on the report from Abia to the effect that on February 12, 2014, Ezekiel declared himself as the state caretaker committee chairman of MHWUN while there is an incumbent state chairman headed by Comrade Uchenna Obigwe. “After exhaustive consideration of the report and recommendation of the Establishment and Disciplinary Committee, the NEC in session invoked Rule 27(i) (C) of the union’s constitution and expelled Ezekiel’’, he said. According to him, as an expelled member, Ezekiel shall forfeit all the rights and privileges of MHWUN except otherwise decided by the NEC. He advised the employer of the expelled member, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, to stop further deduction of his check-off dues to the coffers of the union. Ojah urged the public to disregard insinuations that Abia chapter of the union was having leadership crisis., The secretary also frowned on the development where the union’s check-off dues were allegedly transferred to the purported caretaker committee led by Ezekiel without recourse to the Trade Union Act’s provisions.