The retirement ceremony of the acting Head of Administration of the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta Health Institution, Mr. David Folarin Akaraiwe on his final day at work, generated controversy and disgrace rather than celebration.
Akaraiwe, who is also a Provincial Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, received the unusual farewell on Wednesday, November 20.
According to information, some of his loyalists were about to roll out the drum to celebrate his exit from the FMC, but unknown to them, health workers at the medical centre under the Joint Action Committee of all Unions (JAC), also came out in large numbers to protest the anti worker policies of the retired acting HOD.
The workers who wore all black attire were seen dancing round the FMC with a musical band and singing various proverbial songs while condemning his high-handedness while he held sway at the Centre.
He was accused of being a willing tool of the Medical Director of the Center, Professor Abdul Samiu Musa Olomu, who regularly dish out series of anti workers’ polices.
Leading the ‘celebration’ are the Senior Staff Association of University Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Allied Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI).
In their claims, they accused the retired Acting HOD of implementing a controversial salary reduction policy.
Speaking at the rally, SSAUTHRIAI Chairman and JAC leader, Comrade Bashir Ayobamiji Obabiyi, criticized Akaraiwe’s administration for proposing unprecedented salary reductions targeting specific staff levels.
The policy attempted to downgrade CONHESS level 15 to 14, level 13 to 12, and Health Attendants upgraded to level 6 back to level 3. This was not just unfair but a direct attack on workers’ welfare,” Obabiyi said.
The union rejected the policy and issued a 15-day ultimatum to management to withdraw it, describing it as discriminatory and designed to destabilize the workforce.
The union leader reaffirmed the union’s resolve to oppose the salary policy and protect workers’ rights. He warned that any attempt to enforce the policy would result in an indefinite strike and the shutdown of the medical center.
“We will not be intimidated or discouraged. We will continue to fight for our rights and better working conditions,” he assured union members.
The union also called on hospital management to prioritize effective leadership and foster harmonious relations with staff, urging them to focus on policies that enhance employee welfare rather than diminish it.
It could be recalled that the FMC Abeokuta under the headship of Professor Olomu has been entrenched in various controversy for some time now.
Some days ago, a human rights activist, Yinka Folarin kicked against the recent award ‘won’ by the health institution, describing it as undeserving.
Yinka Folarin, who is the National Vice President, CDHR, in a statement titled “CDHR Demands Immediate Withdrawal of “Best Customer Friendly and Environmentally Clean Hospital” Award to FMC Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Calls for Probe of Selectors and Conspirators”
The statement reads: “the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR received the news of Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Idi-Aba Abeokuta being awarded “Best Customer Friendly and Environmentally Clean Hospital” with shock and disappointment. The award was communicated by Professor Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, to the Hospital’s Medical Director, Prof Adewale Musa-Olomu, in a congratulatory letter dated November 12, 2024.
The Minister stated that the award was given for the Centre’s “distinguished performance in providing effective healthcare services.”
However, this award is contestable and warrants an investigation into the selection and allocation process. It is suspicious that the selectors may have been manipulated, as their claim of “Best Customer Friendly” is far from the truth.
There have been numerous complaints of negligence, dereliction of duty, and unfriendly worker environments in the facility. Patients and relatives have suffered greatly, contradicting the facility’s mission to provide quality and timely clinical services.
In light of these complaints, we demand the immediate withdrawal of this manipulative award and a prompt probe of all involved, including the Minister, who is suspected to have conspired in this shameful act.
Apart from this, less than seven months to the expiration of the tenure of the Medical Director, the workers alleged that he has started using some members of staff to witch-hunt his supposed enemies at the Centre by introducing policies which are anti workers through memos and circulars which emanate from the office of the outgone Acting HOD Administration, Mr. Akaraiwe.
Similarly there was a petition written to the Federal Ministry of Health, FMoH, Abuja titled “Illegal creation of Engineering Service’s Department” in which it was stated by the petitioner, Concerned Staff of FMC Abeokuta and addressed to the office of the Minister of State for Health, and also copied the Permanent Secretary, FMoH, and the Director of Hospital Services, Federal Ministry of Health.
Based on the petition , it was gathered that the Medical Director halted the move, but allegedly and stylishly rename it as Engineering Division.
The staff who is a Chief Engineer with HND, Engineer Mrs. Omoniyi MoyinOluwa is currently running a top-up program in Electrical/Electronics Engineering at Federal University of Oye Ekiti was appointed as the head of the division.
It was gathered that Mrs Omoniyi MoyinOluwa, by virtue of her new engagement, automatically became the Hospital Management Committee (HMC) member, where decisions were taken from time to time over other Directors and Consultants in the Centre.
However, The Federal Medical Centre management is yet to respond to all the allegations which include the union’s demands and the harassments during the rally.
