The atmosphere at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital(LUTH), Idi-Araba, gripped by tension since Monday over a purported letter of appointment of Prof Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo as Chief Medical Director in substantive capacity, is yet to calm down.
Aggrieved stakeholders who keenly followed the selection interview process following the exit of the immediate past CMD, Prof Chris Bode, are calling on President Bola Tinubu to beam his searchlight on the undue show of favouritism by the Federal Ministry of Health and halt the process, pending an inquiry.
The unease at LUTH is a fallout of the alleged surreptitious appointment of the current Ag. Chief Medical Director, Prof. Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo as the substantive Chief Executive.
What is sparking confusion in the hospital is the alleged claim that a letter of appointment conveying former President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval to Prof Adeyemo was to have been despatched yesterday by the Federal Ministry of Health.
However, feelers indicate that the Health Ministry appeared cautious following the outcry by staffers and have yet to release the much-noised letter of appointment to LUTH authorities.
The said letter which have been widely circulated, was dated Sunday 28th May, 2023, at a time the Buhari Administration already wound up.This is suspicious
What is worrisome was that notwithstanding that the letter was backdated to 28th May, it could not be acted upon more than one week into the Tinubu Administration.
A copy of the said letter of appointment which is in possession of this newspaper, was issued and signed by the immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha and was backdated to take effect from March 24, 2023 for an initial four year term.
Already, a group under the aegis of Concerned Staff of LUTH, have through their lawyers, The Advocate Law Firm, challenged the process of appointment of the CMD, alleging irregularities and are beginning to spur for mass protest.
According to them, the alleged letter of appointment raises questions, particularly given the haste with which it was written on a Sunday, one day after the administration of President Buhari had completed official handover of documents to the new government.
In its petition to the Federal Ministry of Health, the Law Chamber, whose Principal Partner is Daniel Gbolade Odubitan, accused the former Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire of masterminding the plot to impose Prof Adeyemo at all cost as the substantive CMD of the hospital.
The concerned staff are insisting that the Health Ministry should put on hold the planned despatch of the appointment letter since the outcome of the selection interview process was not released before the Buhari Administration wound up.
Their argument is that the new Tinubu Administration should halt the process so that the anomalies and irregularities complained about officially since April this year be looked into.
To them part of the irregularities included alleged unfair over-scoring of the marks allotted to a particular candidate in order to impose him as CMD at all cost.
The Health Minister during the last Administration allegedly showed favouritism in the candidacy of Prof Adeyemo as CMD despite the fact that his only contender, Prof Olufemi Fasanmade who had earlier served a successful tenure as Chairman, CMAC, during which Prof Adeyemo worked as his Deputy, is the most senior and better qualified for the position.
Tension In LUTH Over Appointment Of Prof Adeyemo As Substantive Chief Medical Director
Tension In LUTH Over Appointment Of Prof Adeyemo As Substantive Chief Medical Director
