The Chief Medical Director (CMD), Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof John Okeniyi, has indicted his predecessor, Dr Olumuyiwa Owojuyigbe, for not following due process in the recruitment waiver approved for the hospital.
At an online press conference on Friday, Okeniyi said the waiver to recruit a total of 450 fresh staff into clinical and non-clinical positions was obtained from the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
He said the illegal recruitment and job racketeering in 2022, were done before his appointment as the substantive CMD of the hospital after months of protracted leadership crisis.
According to him, the approved waiver was meant to recruit 41 non-clinical and 409 clinical staff into specific cadres.
“Instead, the previous administration recruited a total of 2,423 staff. It recruited over 600 in the first phase of the exercise without due process and most of them were non-clinical posts,” he alleged.
“During the second phase of the exercise, 1,828 staff were recruited, with a total number of 2,423 letters of employment given in various cadres, instead of 450 as approved by the Federal Government,” he disclosed.
The CMD declared that 1,973 were victims of what he described as large-scale illegal recruitment, saying the illegal recruits were not clinical personnel whose services were requested or required.
The CMD added “none of them was interviewed, but screening conducted by immediate past acting administrator, with no valid application.
“Majority of them did not submit curriculum vitae, many were discovered not to possess the necessary basic qualifications nor satisfy the requirements of the National Youth Service Corps.
“A considerable number have attested to being either sponsored, recipients of slots, political patronage or secured the posts by payments of huge sums of money.
“In some instances, the abuse of the dignity of womanhood and dehumanisation through sexual favours occurred.”
He, however, said that some of these staff have been captured and payroll on the various government financial platforms such as IPPIS and GIFMIS despite being illegally recruited.
He said the development had been detrimental to the capturing, retention and payment of the critically needed clinical staff for whom the waiver was meant for in the first instance.
He revealed that Omojuyigbe and other officials were found to be culpable having been suspended by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
“Also, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health has directed the Hospital Management to convene a Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee to deal with and dispose of all cases of illegal recruitment and job racketeering.
“The Ministry equally directed the management to enforce compliance to the waiver granted by cleaning the nominal roll.
“Those to be recruited should be made to undergo rigorous suitability competency test to determine their suitability in line with the OHCSF 2022 June waiver, while cadres not captured under waiver should be exited from the services of the Hospital,” he said
The CMD maintained that the hospital management under his leadership was very altruistic and responsible and would continue to act in tandem with the directive and instruction of the supervising ministry.
He promised to work in collaboration with all stakeholders, in ensuring that the hospital continues to deliver quality healthcare services to the populace.
He condemned the illegality of the 2022 recruitments and job racketeering perpetrated by a few staff which, he said, had tainted the public image “of the highly industrious and patriotic staff, the Hospital, the Federal Ministry and the Federal Government.”
He admonished all members of staff, visitors, patients, clients, and members of the public to maintain decorum and civility as they transact their activities lawfully within and around the hospital.(NAN)