Again, over 1,500 sacked OAUTH workers protest

Over 1,500 workers who were recently laid off from the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH) staged a successful protest on Friday, urging a reconsideration of their employment status.

The management of the teaching hospital had made a significant decision regarding its workforce, as outlined in a memo dated January 31, 2024. Acting Director of Administration, O. Omonije, had revealed that 68 employees were retained, while approximately 2,000 staff faced termination. The layoffs were linked to alleged job racketeering that transpired in the hospital between early 2022 and 2023.

According to the memo, the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation initially approved the recruitment of 450 workers before the reported racketeering occurred. In an effort to rectify the situation, 68 personnel were identified to participate in a fresh recruitment process, aligning with the approved number. The memo explicitly stated that individuals recruited outside the approved quota should cease identifying themselves as hospital staff.

Expressing their dissatisfaction with the layoff decision, the affected workers had, in early February, gathered in substantial numbers at the hospital’s entrance. Their primary demand was to receive payment for the 14 months during which they had actively contributed to the hospital’s operations.

Yet again, on Friday, the disengaged staff rallied together against a circular issued by the hospital’s management, which outlined plans for an examination determining certain cadre employability.

The protesters, who were seeking a halt to the scheduled examination, strategically blocked the main gates of the hospital, bringing both human and vehicular movement to a standstill.

Expressing their concerns, Samson Falope, one of the disengaged staff, highlighted that the circular announced an upcoming examination on March 9, at the Command Day Secondary School, Army Barrack, Ede, Osun.

Falope emphasized that they had notified the concerned ministry, the House of Representatives, and the National Assembly about the situation, awaiting their intervention.

“We are hopeful that the examination would be suspended indefinitely,” he added, reflecting the collective optimism among the disengaged workers.

In response, the Public Relations Officer of OAUTHC, Miss Kemi Fasoto, affirmed that the examination would proceed as scheduled under the oversight of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. As the drama unfolds, the disengaged workers remain resolute in seeking intervention from government bodies to address their concerns and potential reinstatement.

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