The management of Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC) has sacked over 2,000 purportedly fake health workers employed through racketeering into the hospital between 2022 and 2023.
The management hinged the decision to lay off the health workers on alleged breach of Section 100401 of the Public Service Rules.
It added that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, had granted the institution a waiver to employ 450 health workers but the exercise was marred by job racketeering, resulting in the engagement of 2,000 ‘fake health workers’.
A memo seen by our correspondent with reference number OAUTHC/160/VOL.II/272 signed by Acting Director of Administration, Mr O.O OMONIJE, disclosed that “between 11th and 15″ September, 2023 the Fact-Finding Panel from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Abuja came to our Institution for official investigations on over-employment and job racketeering. During the course of their investigations, it was discovered that some people were recruited outside the waiver among several other irregularities.”
The letter added, “Unfortunately, almost 2,000 additional employment/job offers were granted above the approved number. Many job seekers and their sponsors, influence peddlers, and allegedly, illegal transactions were made to secure many of the illegal positions.
“That now, the quandary is how to tease out the truly legally employed versus the illegal ones. Where many of the illegal are not even clinical workers and their influence peddlers and allegedly, illegal transactions were made to secure many of the illegal positions. And there is no money in the hospital to pay for them.
“That we are soon coming with some of the difficult decisions we have to make. While avoiding embarrassment for the innocent as much as possible. For those who racketeered (paid for or received payments for jobs), please quietly consider moving on while we find ways to resolve for the more innocent caught in the mess.
“Therefore, to comply with the June 2022 waiver as directed, only the categories of staff cited in the June 2022 approved waiver from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation as listed below would be considered for the rigorous suitability test for employment with these cadres,” the memo read.
It added, “Consequently, any person or group not cited are advised to cease from conducting or parading themselves as staff of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife henceforth.”
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