Tension gripped the premises of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, on Friday as sacked staff staged a protest against the management’s decision to terminate their employment.
The Federal Government’s dismissal of over 1500 hospital employees, citing alleged irregularities in the hiring process, prompted the protest.
According to a hospital management circular, examinations for specific cadres were announced as a prerequisite for employment consideration, sparking outrage among the affected workers.
Confirming the development, the Public Relations Officer for OAUTHC, Kemi Fasoto, disclosed to reporters that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would conduct the examination as scheduled.
In response, the protesters demanded the postponement of the examination, effectively barricading the hospital’s main access and causing disruption to pedestrian and vehicular movement.
Speaking on behalf of the terminated workers, Samson Falope expressed concern over the scheduled examination, revealing that it was set for March 9 at Command Day Secondary School, situated in the Army Barrack, Ede, Osun.
Falope emphasized that the issuance of a circular regarding recruitment exercises under the June 2022 waiver triggered the protest. He further noted that notifications were sent to relevant authorities, including the ministry, the House of Representatives, and the National Assembly, in anticipation of intervention to address the matter.
“We are hopeful for the indefinite suspension of the examination,” Falope stated, underscoring the workers’ determination to seek resolution to their grievances.
As tensions mount, the standoff between the sacked staff and the hospital management underscores the challenges faced by employees affected by the government’s decision.
