News

Resident Doctors Seek Gov Makinde’s Intervention On LAUTECH’s Teaching Hospital

Published

2 years ago

August 1, 2023

Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso says Gov. Seyi Makinde’s urgent intervention is needed to halt the hospital’s declining state.

The Association, through its President, Dr Sope Orugun, and General Secretary, Dr Nnara Stanley, said Gov. Makinde urgently needs to address the challenges bedeviling LAUTECH Teaching Hospital (LTH).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the association had on many occasions earlier sought the intervention of successive governments in the state over the hospital’s declining condition.

The hospital has the capacity to train health workers of different cadres to meet the demands of the citizens of the state and beyond if properly administered.

The ARD LTH, in a statement by Orugun and Stanley, listed some of the hospital’s challenges as shortage of manpower, poor remuneration, brain drain, poor infrastructure and poor financial investment.

“This hospital’s founding fathers had committed huge funds to infrastructural development towards achieving their vision.

“But, sadly, successive governments have abandoned the investment with little or no financial commitment to the improvement of the hospital’s fortune,” it said.

The ARD said many categories of health workers had been lost to poor remuneration and excessive workload caused by the shortage of hands and the “JAPA” syndrome plaguing the nation.

It pointed out that all federal and state government-owned tertiary hospitals in South Western Nigeria have started the payment of Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF).

The doctors however said the only exception in their geo-political zone were those owned by Oyo and Ondo State Governments.

“The MRTF is meant to cater for update, revision courses and examination expenditures, and stands out as a major ‘push factor’ for resident doctors from the centre.

“Most recently, Benue, Osun, Ekiti, Kwara and Nasarawa states have either given approval for payment or effected the same. Sadly, most of these states started negotiations regarding the MRTF long after Oyo state.

“MRTF is similar to the fund paid to other workers to cater for their on-the-job training.

“Oyo state which ought to set the pace has however lagged far behind in the adoption and domiciliation of the MRTF in spite of all efforts from ARD LTH Ogbomoso since 2021,” they said.

The association stated that it would shock many to know that Oyo State Government still pays its health workers less than 5,000 Naira monthly as hazard allowance.

It added that the amount was ridiculous in view of the current economic hardship in the country and the geometric rise in inflation rate and prices of commodities.

“In addition to this, the CONMESS being paid now in the state was last reviewed in 2009, which contravened the agreement of a review every five years.

“This salary structure is already due for a second review. The state government needs to understand the seriousness with which the ‘push-factors’ for brain drain need to be addressed if the tide must be turned.”

The association recalled that Gov. Makinde had in August 2020 promised to pay the fund currently enjoyed by resident doctors in federal tertiary health institutions.

“Owing to this failed promise, our members have frequently resorted to borrowing money in order to go for these updates and examinations, while not leaving their other responsibilities to families and the society unattended to,” it said.

The ARD noted that it had in 2020 presented Gov. Makinde with a plaque of honour owing to his prompt intervention in the rot he met in the hospital when he assumed office.

“Now, we still have a similar trust in his capability to address the matters raised with the seriousness and promptness they deserve.”

The ARD LTH went on to declare its support for the demand by Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on the replacement of resident doctors who exit or complete their training.

NAN reports that NARD has advocated that such doctors should be replaced on a one-for-one basis to mitigate the effect of such departure.

“We support the demand of NARD, and we call for the implementation of the demand at LTH and nationwide,” the association stated.

NAN reports that LTH, which occupies a strategic position in the healthcare space of Oyo state, has the capacity to train well over 170 resident doctors.

This is by virtue of the number of specialists running residency training.

But, like a deprived giant, it currently has 69 resident doctors.

Most departments have now lost their accreditations due to unavailability of adequate personnel and equipment, among other pressing issues, making the hospital less attractive for training.(NAN)

News

FG Security Agency, Nigerian Army Move To Tackle Illicit Small Arms, Light Weapons

Published

51 minutes ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Northeast Zonal Centre, under the Office of the National Security Adviser to the President has partnered with the Nigerian Army to fight the menace of the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the country.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to Brig.-Gen. U.V Unachukwu, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Nigerian Army Headquarters in Maiduguri on Wednesday, Maj-:Gen Abubakar Adamu (Rtd), the Northeast Zonal Coordinator, NCCSALW Northeast Zonal Centre, said the collaboration was necessary in mopping up Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in the Zone.

While stating the negative impact the proliferation of illicit SALW has on peaceful coexistence in the nation and its socio-economic activities, Adamu pledged the Centre’s continuous cooperation with the Division especially in intelligence sharing which he said, was paramount in preventing the proliferation of this SALW in the country.

“One of our responsibilities is to prevent the proliferation of small Arms and Light Weapons and to also enlighten the people. We are a multi agency department and we have the police, the DSS, and also retired military officers as well as serving military officers.

“We have been empowered to receive all illicit small arms and light weapons that have been retrieved from all the agencies and we are the people responsible to destroy them

“We are also the only organization empowered to prosecute gun runners and all the people that have been arrested in terms of dealing with small arms and light weapons.

“What we are doing is to visit major stakeholders and to also share intelligence, information and to collaborate because we know without the armed forces, there is no way we can eradicate the proliferation of small Arms and Light Weapons,” he said.

He further commended the Nigerian Army for always being at the forefront in ensuring that country is safe for all to live in, promising to strengthen the partnership in order to further make the country a better place for all to live.

Responding, Brig.-Gen. U.V Unachukwu promised the Division’s support to the Zonal Centre so as to achieve its mandate while recalling the pass records of the Zonal Director as a result-oriented senior officer.

He also commended the Centre for working hand in hand with all the security agencies, traditional rulers and key stakeholders, adding that this would go a long way in mopping up and tackling the proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons in the country.

News

Arrears: AAU Management Replies ASUU Over

Published

1 hour ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

The management of Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma has responded to a recent publication by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), AAU Chapter, alleging that the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sunday Olowo Samuel, claimed to have cleared all staff arrears.

A statement issued by Otunba Mike Aladenika, Principal Assistant Registrar and Head of Information, Protocol, and Public Relations, described the claim by ASUU as far from the truth.

Aladenika said the Acting Vice-Chancellor’s 31-paragraph address to journalists did not state that all outstanding salary arrears had been paid.

He noted that instead, the VC emphasized the administration’s commitment to gradual liquidation of these arrears.

According to the imagemaker of the university, the Vice-Chancellor, in his speech, rather highlighted prompt payment of salaries and pensions as a hallmark of his administration, and noted that the university had implemented the new minimum wage of N70,000 as soon as it was approved.

Aladenika questioned where ASUU got their information from, given the Acting Vice-Chancellor’s clear statements.

“It’s worth noting that when the current administration took over, ASUU members were owed over 35 months in arrears.

“However, the debt has since been reduced as those owed 35 months and above were paid 10 months emblock in the 1st tranch, while in the 2nd tranch, those owe 20-months and above were also paid 10 months salary arrears, emblock. Apart from individuals among them who got paid on personal requests, the payment of the backlogs is still ongoing as various applications on salary arrears are been attended to, demonstrating the management’s commitment to gradual payment.

“On the issue of the 13th month salary, it’s essential to clarify that this has never been a right, but rather a subject of tripartite negotiations between workers, management, and the state government. There has been no prior agreement or understanding on this matter, and it has always been a point of negotiation for our unions.

“It’s worth noting that the university has never paid 13 months’ salary in a 12-month financial year. However, this doesn’t mean that the management is opposed to negotiations on the matter. Rather, we believe that it’s essential to approach such discussions in a constructive manner, rather than using it as a bargaining chip for blackmail.

“The management is open to negotiations, but we urge all parties to engage in good faith and avoid misrepresentations.”

News

US Court Sentences Osun Monarch To Prison Over $4.2m Fraud

Published

2 hours ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

A United States District Court has sentenced the Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, to four years and eight months imprisonment over a $4.2million COVID-19 relief fraud scandal.

Justice Christopher Boyko while delivering the sentence on Tuesday, also ordered the monarch to pay $4.2 million in restitution.

According Osun Defender, the monarch was also ordered to pay the sum of $195,000 to the IRS for filing a false tax return.

Justice Boyko also ordered Oloyede to forfeit $96,000 in money seized from his bank account and his home on Foote Road that he bought in 2021 for $130,000.

Boyko said Oloyede was a “very smart guy who did a lot of stupid things.”

Oba Oloyede, a US-based accountant and information system expert, was appointed the new Apetu in July 2019.

The monarch was arrested alongside alongside Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi in early 2024 for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $4.2m in COVID-19 relief funds.

The two men were charged with 13 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.