Dr Bamachy Onyemachi, Director of Medical Services at the Abia State Health Management Board (HMB), Umuahia, has appealed to Gov. Alex Otti to intervene in the non-payment of his salary, which he said has remained unresolved for about 20 months.
Onyemachi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Umuahia that his salary was stopped following a disagreement with the Chief Executive Officer of the Abia HMB, Dr Odochi Azubuike, over the movement of equipment at the Federal Multipurpose Hospital, Ugwunagbo, on July 3, 2024. He said the prolonged non-payment had caused serious financial difficulties, including a threat of eviction from his home and the loss of a house he acquired through a bank loan.
According to Onyemachi, the dispute began on the evening of the hospital’s inauguration when he advised against moving some of the equipment from the facility.
“I counselled her against the idea but she insisted, so I involved the traditional ruler of the community,” he said.
He alleged that the traditional ruler also advised Azubuike against removing any equipment, saying the community was capable of protecting the items.
Onyemachi further alleged that Azubuike wrote to the Commissioner for Finance on July 3, 2024, requesting that his salary and those of 20 other HMB staff members be stopped.
He said the Head of Service (HoS), in a letter dated Dec. 24, 2024, subsequently directed the Accountant-General of the state to stop the salaries.
According to him, the affected workers were accused of refusing postings and having poor attendance at work.
He said they were also accused of absconding from duty, refusing to retire after serving eight years as directors and failing to appear before a verification committee.
Onyemachi said the then Head of Service, Mr Benson Ojeikere, investigated the matter and responded to Azubuike in a letter dated May 20, 2025, with reference number HSA/EST/RR/4.T.11/229.
The letter was titled, “Clarification on Statutory Retirement of Directors at HMB Abia State.”
He said the letter cleared him of the allegation that he had refused to retire after eight years as a director and directed that he should serve out the remaining four years of his tenure.
Onyemachi said Azubuike subsequently responded to the Head of Service in a letter dated July 25, 2025, with reference number HMB/AD/91/23, acknowledging his reinstatement.
He said Azubuike also requested that six months of his stopped salary be paid to enable him to discharge his duties efficiently and diligently.
Onyemachi said that when the salary remained unpaid, he escalated the matter to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, who referred the issue back to the Head of Service.
According to him, the Permanent Secretary made the request through a letter dated April 28, 2026, with reference number AB/MH/PSH/GC/HOS/26/040, titled, “Request for the payment of Dr Onyemachi B.C.O.’s salary.”
He said the letter described his salary as having been “erroneously stopped” through a letter dated Dec. 24, 2024.
The letter, according to Onyemachi, also stated that his salary had not been reinstated for 16 months, despite his continued service and efforts to resolve the matter.
Onyemachi said that on May 11, 2026, the then Head of Service approved his reinstatement, inclusion in the payroll and payment of 16 months’ salary arrears.
He said the approval was conveyed to the state Accountant-General, Dr Njum Onyemenam.
However, Onyemachi alleged that the approval was not implemented and that his salary remained unpaid until July 9, 2026.
He also alleged that Azubuike had reinstated the other 20 affected workers and that their salaries had been paid, leaving him without his outstanding salary.
The doctor said the prolonged salary stoppage had left him unable to meet some of his financial obligations.
He told NAN that his landlord had threatened to evict him from his apartment because he could no longer meet his rent obligations.
He also said a commercial bank had taken possession of a house he acquired with a loan after he was unable to continue servicing the facility.
Onyemachi therefore appealed to Gov. Otti to urgently intervene and ensure the payment of his outstanding salary arrears.
When NAN visited Azubuike’s office in Umuahia to seek her reaction, she was not available.
However, when contacted by telephone, Azubuike denied withholding Onyemachi’s salary and referred NAN to the Ministry of Health.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Blossom Uma, told NAN that she had done her best to ensure that Onyemachi was paid.
Uma said she would do everything within her powers to facilitate the payment of the outstanding salaries.
NAN’s correspondent also visited the office of the Accountant-General to seek a reaction but was denied access to the premises by security personnel.
