Health Workers Begins Indefinite Strike Over Director’s Reinstatement

The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has commenced an indefinite strike over the non-reinstatement of the hospital’s director of pharmaceutical services, Dr Adeyinka Ishola.

The union, which directed its members to withdraw their services from Wednesday, September 16, 2026, is demanding the implementation of a recommendation by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare that Ishola be reprimanded and reinstated.

NUAHP said the ministry’s independent investigation found Ishola not guilty of any fraudulent act in the sale of a tricycle donated to the Pharmacy Department, but faulted him for failing to carry the hospital management along before the sale.

The union chairman, Comrade Oladayo Olabampe, at a briefing said the industrial action followed several failed attempts to resolve the matter through dialogue.

Olabampe said the union’s representative, who served as an observer during the hospital’s initial investigation, reported that the panel appeared to have reached a conclusion on Ishola’s fate before hearing his defence.

He said the panel eventually recommended Ishola’s suspension in the interest of the public and forwarded the recommendation to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for ratification.

According to him, the ministry subsequently sent an independent investigative team to UCH, which reached a different conclusion from the hospital’s panel.

He said, “The ministry, in its wisdom, sent a team of investigators to UCH to conduct an independent investigation. The panel found Dr Ishola not guilty of any fraudulent act but only guilty of not carrying the management along in the sale of the tricycle.

Rather than approving the dismissal recommended by UCH, the ministry, after a thorough investigation, recommended that the director be reprimanded and then reinstated”.

“We are, however, surprised that the UCH management is not pleased with this outcome and has, for months, refused to implement the verdict of its supervisory ministry.

We hold a contrary view to that of the management of UCH, which believes that the verdict of the ministry is not final.

“We hereby declare that Dr Adeyinka Ishola is not a thief, though he might have committed an administrative error by not carrying the management along. Since the ministry has decided that he be reprimanded, we stand by this decision.

Having dialogued with the management on several occasions to no avail, we have hereby resolved to declare a trade dispute over this matter.

“After two series of ultimatums, we have decided to mobilise our members for an indefinite strike with effect from Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The strike shall continue until our demands are met,” Olabampe said.

Ishola was removed from office more than a year ago after he was accused of selling the tricycle without the knowledge of UCH management.

He was said to have told the hospital’s investigative panel that the tricycle was a personal gift to him from a pharmaceutical company seeking favourable patronage.

Ishola reportedly asked the panel to seek clarification from the company on the circumstances surrounding the gift.

He was quoted as saying that he voluntarily handed the tricycle over to the Pharmacy Department but later decided to sell it after discovering that its maintenance could be difficult because spare parts might not be readily available.

He explained that the vehicle was a fabricated model rather than the conventional type commonly used for commercial purposes.

Ishola further said the N1.3 million realised from the sale was spent on departmental needs, including replacing trolley tyres and laptop batteries and providing office chairs.

According to him, the proceeds were fully accounted for, with relevant documents submitted to the investigative panel.