Governor reacts as Permanent Secretary allegedly beats HoD to coma
The Anambra State Government has on Sunday announced its intention to take decisive action in response to a violent altercation between Mrs. Chinwe Achugbu, the newly appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, and an unidentified female Head of Department within the same ministry.
The incident reportedly took place on Thursday, August 15, within the office premises, following a heated argument over an undisclosed issue. The confrontation escalated to the point where one individual allegedly strangled the other into unconsciousness.
While the exact cause of the altercation remains unclear, it is known that intervention from nearby individuals was required to separate the two parties and restore order to the ministry.
A source within the ministry, who chose to remain anonymous, informed journalists on Friday that the Permanent Secretary inflicted severe injuries on the Head of Department.
The injured party was swiftly transported to the Emergency Ward at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital in Amaku-Awka, where she was subsequently resuscitated.
The source also revealed that physical altercations among senior staff members in the ministry have become increasingly frequent, with subordinates hesitant to report such incidents due to fear of retaliation.
The state government has vowed to address these issues comprehensively and ensure that appropriate measures are taken.
The source said, “Yes, the incident happened. Everything in that story happened. I was there that day and everything happened before my face. The two of them fought over a yet-to-be-disclosed matter and the PS tried to strangle the HOD, as she held her neck for several minutes.
“It was a very chaotic moment. It took the intervention of other persons around before normalcy returned after the HOD was rushed to the hospital because she fell into a coma.”
Another employee within the ministry, who spoke to PUNCH Metro on the condition of anonymity, corroborated the incident.
They noted that the matter had not been formally reported due to the high status of those involved, suggesting that some senior officials were attempting to cover up the issue.
When approached at her office at the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare in the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, Mrs. Chinwe Achugbu, the Permanent Secretary, declined to comment on the allegations.
She stated that, as a person under authority, she was not permitted to speak and directed the reporter to consult the Head of Service instead.
The Head of Service, Theodora Igwegbe, acknowledged being aware of the reported altercation through social media but confirmed she had not yet received an official briefing on the incident. She assured that appropriate action would be taken once a thorough investigation and assessment of the situation were completed.
“I saw the report on social media on Friday, August 23, 2024. I have not received a formal report against the Permanent Secretary in question as provided by Section 7, Chapter 10 of the Public Service Rules (2021).
“That notwithstanding, I have started asking questions to ascertain what happened while I await a formal report, which should be the beginning of a process. Thank you,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, was unavailable for comment regarding the incident, as both messages and calls to her phone went unanswered.
According to Section 7 of the Public Service Rules (2021), there are specific sanctions for misconduct and violations of worker conduct.
These guidelines outline penalties for failing to adhere to established practices and are designed to ensure that public servants uphold high standards of conduct and performance in their roles.
