The Acting Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Dr. Owojuyigbe Olumuyiwa, has run away from his duty post. The acting CMD, it was learnt, absconded from his duty post in July over his alleged involvement in job racketeering in the institution.
He was alleged to have employed over 1,973 workers, instead of the 450 vacancies waiver granted the hospital in 2022 by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
The acting Director of Admin, Balogun Tajudeen, has also been suspended for his alleged involvement in the matter, according to a statement yesterday, by the Director of Information in the Federal Ministry of Health, Patricia Deworitshe.
The statement reads: “The unrest is attributed to the alleged job racketeering over employment saga in the establishment, under the former CMD, Dr. Olumuyiwa, who employed over 1,973 workers as against the 450 vacancies waiver granted in the 2022 employment by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), which is flagrant abuse of extant rules and regulations.
“The hospital conducted the exercise in two phases (230 and 220) after securing approval from the Federal Character Commission not to advertise the posts.
“During the first phase, the hospital recruited 600 instead of 230 workers, and a total of 1,823 staff members were recruited in the second phase, instead of 220.
“In August 2023, an investigative panel was set up, led by Dr. Azeez and the report of the panel states that the former Chief Medical Director (CMD) Dr. Owojuyigbe Olumuyiwa, was embroiled in over-employment/job racketeering in the establishment, without provision in the personnel budget for over 1,973 workers illegally employed.
Continuing, the statement said: “The report further noted that the 450 workers waiver granted to the OAUTH was for the recruitment of clinical staff, but only 55 clinical members of staff were employed, while others were non-clinical staff.
“The outcome of the recruitment exercise also revealed that OAUTH has a staff strength of 7,279 (out of which 3,034 were clinical staff and 4245 were non-clinical staff, this translates to a nonclinical staff ratio of approximately 1:1 instead of the recommended 3:1, that is three clinical to one non-clinical).
“It further stated that many recruited workers were without requisite academic and professional certificates as well as evidence of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Certificates.
“Currently, Dr. Owojuyigbe Olumuyiwa who was appointed in acting capacity in March 2023 has absconded from his duty post since July 2023, while his co-culprit, Mr. Balogun Tajudeen, who was the Acting Director, Admin, has been suspended for his involvement in the job racketeering saga.”
SOURCE: The Nation
