Right Of Reply: Olaoye Got It Wrong

The management of the National Hospital, Abuja has read with rude shock, an article in the Sunday Column of LEADERSHIP Newspaper (October 27, 2024 edition), authored by the columnist, Wole Olaoye, labelling grave, but unsubstantiated allegations against the management of the hospital.

Most shocking to us is, as grievous and inciting as the allegations are, the writer, a respected and experienced columnist with an esteemed national daily of this calibre, did not see any obligation to reach out to the National Hospital for balancing, fairness and objectivity as the etiquettes of journalism demand.

Of specific concern to us besides portraying Nigeria in terribly bad light, is the narrow-down on the hospital as an epic centre of nepotism, tribalism, favouritism and selective treatment of staff among sundry allegations which the author did not bother to cite proof or instances of such unwholesome happenings in the hospital.

Locum Consultants

He likened such alleged recent happenings in the hospital to “a time bomb ticking” and with a potentiality of transforming the hospital to “another beautiful abattoir.” Such a prediction is rather unfortunate, especially coming from a renowned columnist.

Of particular notice is his accusation that, “consultant doctors are engaged as locum for several years without any hope of being confirmed as permanent staff while politically connected new staff are routinely engaged.” The records are there for whosoever cares to check. The only such recruitment carried out by the present management of the hospital was late last year when permission was granted to the hospital for 83 slots of employment, 10 of which were for consultants. In the magnanimity of the hospital management, all the 10 slots were taken by the existing locum consultants in a bid to address the problem.

It is on record that no locum staff has been engaged by this management in order not to worsen a situation that was inherited.

Besides, I believe Mr Olaoye is well enlightened to know that such employment in government is never an exclusive affair of any particular agency but with statutory regulations from the relevant government agencies and the supervising ministry, so the NHA cannot be singled out.

Furthermore and for the avoidance of doubts, the official position is that, on completion of residency training such consultants are free to take their exit and seek for employment elsewhere in the absence of vacancy to absorb them in the National Hospital. Management in such circumstances gives six months exit notice to them as obtainable in other tertiary hospitals.

Opting to retain them on the locum arrangement, is an extra magnanimous policy of the management that is mutually beneficial to both parties, and there is no formal commitment for absorption since that is beyond the purview of the management.

To our collective pride in the NHA family, a number of distinguished agencies have praised with admiration, the staffing of the hospital where all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are represented, a feat not easily achieved by other government establishments…

We Are Focused

The present management of the NHA is focused to deliver on making the hospital a pride of Nigerians where they can access specialist medical care in a conducive and aesthetic setting. Distractions such as the article in question will only blind Nigerians to see the good in the NHA as well as the country at large and this has the tendency to dampen the morale of staff and the management to put in their best. However, the staff and management will remain resolute and focused despite such and similar distractions until we achieve our set goals.

– Maijamaa Adamu, Assistant Director Information.

 For: Management.