Sodiq Ojuroungbe
Weeks after over 2000 workers protested a decision of the management of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State, to lay them off, the disengaged staff, on Friday, once again protested over the failure of the management to reverse the decision and suspend a scheduled examination.
However, the Public Relations Officer of OAUTH, Miss Kemi Fasoto, maintained that the examination, scheduled by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, would be held.
The protesters barricaded the main entrance to the hospital, preventing human and vehicular movement.
PUNCH Healthwise reported that the workers of the hospital were laid off by the Federal Government following alleged irregularities in their recruitment process.
OAUTH CMD pledges to return sacked workers’ screening fees – Healthwise (punchng.com)
A similar protest embarked on by the disgruntled staff was reported by PUNCH Healthwise.
About 2000 OAUTH staff protest sack, demand 14-month salary arrears – Healthwise (punchng.com)
They were protesting against a circular by the management of the hospital to conduct examinations for certain cadres that would be considered for employment.
The management of the hospital, in a memo dated January 31, 2024, signed by the Acting Director of Administration, O. Omonije, made known its intention to retain 68 workers and to sack those recruited through alleged job racketeering that took place in the hospital from early 2022 to the year 2023.
The memo also added that the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, approved recruitment of only 450 workers before the racketeering took place.
It listed 68 employees as those who would participate in the fresh recruitment exercise in compliance with the approval given by the Head of Service, adding that all those recruited outside the approved time must stop parading themselves as OAUTH workers.
While speaking on the controversies surrounding the decision to lay off the workers on Friday, in a virtual meeting, the Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr John Okeniyi, said they should stop parading themselves as staff because they were illegally recruited by the past management.
The CMD explained that the decision to refund money paid for medical tests by the affected staff was to demonstrate fairness to the victims of the racketeering.
He said, “It is sad that the illegality of the 2022 recruitments and job racketeering perpetrated by a few staff (members) has severally tainted the public image of our highly industrious and patriotic staff (members), our vibrant hospital, the federal ministry, and the Federal Government.
“It is, however, noteworthy that the illegality has been repeatedly brought to the sufficient notice of the public and the victims (many of whom wilfully engaged in the criminality just to secure themselves jobs).
“Even after the suspension of officers involved and the sufficient notice granted by the Federal Ministry of Health, many have persistently insisted that they are legitimate staff (members), and this narrative is categorically false.”
The CMD condemned alleged death threats made to officials of the teaching hospital through leaflets.
He added, “The management is not insensible to the protest and unrest occasioned by the mandate to implement the 2022 approved waiver in line with the recommendations and approval of the FMoH&SW. Nevertheless, we cannot offer non-existent job positions and we all must face reality.
“To demonstrate fairness to all victims, and the public, this administration is willing to offer victims who may have inadvertently paid to procure screening tests after they were given letters of employment. The OAUTHC management shall refund all such verifiable receipted claims of ‘pre-employment’ medical screening expenses,” Okeniyi said.
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