By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja (FTHL), on Monday in Lokoja embarked on a protest to demand the immediate reinstatement of its suspended President, Dr. Jimoh Umar.
The doctors made the demand during a protest carried out against the management of the FTHL led by the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr Olatunde Alabi, on Monday.
The doctors demanded that the FTHL management should immediately effect the directive of the Federal Government through the Minister of Health, Prof. Ali Pate, approving the reinstatement of the suspended ARD FTHL President, Dr. Jimoh Umar.
It could be recalled that Dr. Umar was suspended for actions he carried out as a head of a union that was a collective decision of all the resident doctors of the hospital in 2024 by the management of FTHL.
Speaking to newsmen, after the protest, Dr Olushola Baoku, the immediate past Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Kogi, demanded for the immediate reinstatement of ARD FTHL suspended President, as directed by the Minister.
“The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate through the Permanent Secretary, Ms Kachollom Shangti Daju,, has approved the reinstatement of Dr. Jimoh Umar since December 12, 2024.
“The letter got to the FTHL on January 11, 2025, but the CMD, Dr Olatunde Alabi, has deliberately refused to effect the content of the letter as directed by the Minister.
“All we are saying as doctors is that the CMD should obey the superior order according to the Section 3 of Civil Service Rule 100402 (u and aa) and 100301 (D and I) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It says refusal to treat official file, violation of auto secrecy, act unbecoming of a public officer and insubordination, are all acts of misconduct. All these are contained in the public service rule, and all of us are under the public service rules including the CMD.
“So, if the Minister has approved a letter through the Perm. Sec., nobody under the PS from top to bottom must refuse to act. That is gross insubordination, and it is contrary and arbitrary to the renewed Hope Agent of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We are stakeholders’ in this country and we will not allow sabotage. We are calling on the CMD to immediately release the letter that is in his custody and reinstate the ARD FTHL President, Dr Jimoh Umar.
The protesting doctors who walked round the hospital premises carring placards with various inscriptions: such as “Reinstate our President, Uphold Abuja Accord”; “Stop Killing of FTH Lokoja, Dr Alabi”; and “Enough is Enough, Reinstate our President”.
Other were: “Honour Minister’s Directive and Reinstate Dr Jimoh Umar”; “Pay All our outstanding Accoutrement Allowances, and Minimum Wages Arrears”; Bring back our President; Stop placing Doctors on locum,; 8 years in office, Zero Employment”, among others
