The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH) has sacked over 1500 staff whose roles are not included in the 2022 approved waiver.
This action is following the directive of the Coordinating minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate who ordered an investigation on alleged job racketeering by former Chef Medical Director, Afolabi Owojuyigbe, who employed 2,423 staff against the approved 450 vacancies in 2022 resulting in 1,973 excess staff members.
The investigation’s Fact-Finding Panel from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Abuja, uncovered illicit activities related to over-employment and job racketeering at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC).
The panel’s investigation, conducted between September 11th and 15th, 2023, exposed irregularities, including recruitment outside established protocols.
The panel condemned these actions, deeming them illegitimate and in violation of Public Service Rules Section 100401 in the Civil Service of the Federation.
In response to these findings, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare recommended a cleanup of the institution’s nominal roll to ascertain the accurate number of staff.
The investigation’s results
Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the coordinating minister, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, announced the grim details of the employment racket. Notable points from his statements include:
- The employment racket occurred between early 2022 to early 2023, predating the current administration by at least six months.
- The mismanagement of employment within OAUTHC involved collusion among a few civil actors, corrupt individuals, and desperate job seekers, impacting 450 innocent health workers.
- An approval was granted for OAUTHC to recruit 450 health workers across various cadres, primarily clinical positions such as doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and laboratory scientists.
- Shockingly, nearly 2,000 additional employments/job offers were made beyond the approved number, involving illegal transactions and influence peddling.
- The dilemma now centers on distinguishing legally employed individuals from the illegal ones, complicated by the financial strain on the hospital to remunerate the surplus staff.
- Pate hinted at forthcoming difficult decisions to rectify the situation, urging those involved in racketeering to consider moving on quietly.
- To adhere to the June 2022 waiver, only specific categories of staff cited in the approved waiver will undergo rigorous suitability tests for employment.
- The identified categories include positions from hospital consultants to various administrative and technical roles. Individuals or groups not mentioned in this list are advised to refrain from presenting themselves as staff of OAUTHC.
