Group Demands Probe of CMD, FMC, Abeokuta , Writes Head of Service
A non governmental organization, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL has again written to the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi- Esan for a thorough investigation of the Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Professor Abdus-Samiu Adewale Musa-Olomu.
The group in a letter dated 30th October, 2023 with the title, Re- Demand For Thorough Due Diligent Investigation Of The
Medical Director Of Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State; Professor Abdus-Samiu Adewale Musa-Olomu, called on Dr Folashade Yemi- Esan, to look at various misdemeanor of Professor Musa-Olomu.
CACOL “is an aggregate of
human rights, community based and civil society organizations and individuals with an
anti-corruption and openness in governance agenda across Nigeria. It is a non-political,
non-religious, non-sectarian, non-profit organization.
“It is our belief that any matter that has to do with Public Health such as that of Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta should be treated with utmost urgency since the issues that are involved bother on corruption which could lower the quality of services that citizens
received from the Centre, hence the implications of bad leadership, maladministration, fraudulent acts and criminalities can jeopardize the anti-corruption war of the current administration of Mr. President and the APC Led Federal Government.
CACOL who said the petition to the Head of Service of the Federation was due to the failure of the Federal Ministry of Health to do the needful in a letter it previously wrote to the Minister of Health said “With particular reference to our letter dated Wednesday, October 4”, 2023, addressed
to the Honorable Minister for Health Professor Muhammad Ali Pate (CON) and same duly copied to your good office on the above subject matter, acknowledged copy attached vide (Appendix I) (Page 1 &2) for your consideration.
“A subsequent reply to our letter under reference dated 10, October, 2023 was received via our Email from the Federal Ministry
of Health (Abuja) and signed by Dr. David Atuwo, Director / Senior
Technical Assistant on behalf of Honorable Minister of State for Health (Photocopy labeled (Appendix II) herewith attached for your further information Ma).
“With particular reference to paragraph (2) of the letter from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) to our organization which stated that “The Ministry had concluded its own investigation while awaiting the report of the
anti corruption agencies (ICPC and EFCC) to come to a conclusion on this matter.”
We are highly dissatisfied with such response from the Federal Ministry of Health
(FMOH) on the folowing grounds:
i. We at CACOL had written to the anti-graft agencies i.e (ICPC and EFCC) and they
have duly communicated our organization on the matter.
i. This therefore connotes an attempt by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) to trivialize the seriousness and credibility of the allegations leveled against the Medical Director, Federal Medical Center (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State, Professor Abdus-Samiu Adewale Musa-Olomu.
iii. We at CACOL are very much aware of the Act which established the (ICPC and EFCC) as anti-graft agencies and does not make them subservient to any
Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDA’s) except the presidency.
Furthermore, Paragraph (3) of the letter from the (FMOH) in response to our
correspondence on retirement age from the Public Service stated that “However, please
be informed that Professor Abdus-Samiu Adewale Musa-Olomu is a Professor of Surgery from the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital holding a political appointment.
His retirement age is therefore 70 years. Therefore the Public Service Rule quoted doesn’t apply to him in this instance….”
It is evidence that:
(a) Ab-Initio, Professor Abdus-Samiu Adewale Musa-Olomu applied for the position of Medical Director, competed with others for the same post and he was eventually considered for the post as a Medical Director and not as an Academic Post.
(b) The government regulations on a tenured position of Chief Executives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s) as stipulated in the extant circular from the Office of
the Head of Civil Service of the Federation with Ref No:
HCSF/EMS/EIR/B.63694/IVT/196 dated 27h July, 2009.
Paragraph (iii) stated “That career officers who are currently holding tenured appointment are required to retire from the service with immediate effect and continue to run their term.
Failure to do so would mean that they would vacate office on attaining the mandatory retirenment age or at the expiration of their term.
Whichever comes first.”
(c) As a corollary to the above, the Federal Medical (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State is neither an Academic Institution nor a Federal University Teaching Hospital governed by Decree 10 of 1985 and as a matter of fact, we are not unaware of the enactment establishing Federal Medical Centers across the country (Establishment Act 2022,)
Published in Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette on 24h October, 2022. No-189.Vol 109 labeled (Appendix ii) herewith attached for your further consideration.
(d) The Provision of the revised edition of Public Service Rule – 2021 No: 020908 clearly stated that:
i. The mandatory retirement age for all grades in the service shall be 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service whichever is earlier
ii. No officer shall be allowed to remain in service after attaining the retirement age
i. No provision of (i) and (ii) above is without prejudice to prevailing conditions of
service for Judicial Officers, Academic staff of Universities and other officers whose retirement age is at variance with (i) and (ii) above.
Therefore, it can be deduced that PSR No – 020908 (ii) negates paragraph (3) of the
response from the (FMOH) earlier mentioned wherein it was argued that “Professor
Abdus-Samiu Adewale Musa-Olomu is a professor of surgery from the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital holding a political appointment. His retirement age is 70 years.of 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service whichever is earlier.
In the light of the above we earnestly request for clarification from your good office and we would also want you to confirm the claim of the (FMOH) “That the (PSR No: 020908)
quoted by us doesn’t matter in this instance.”
To this end, we implore you to use your good offices to:
I. ensure strict compliance of Federal Ministry of Health with government regulations on retirement age as it affects the Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta within the purview of Public Service Rule and
II. mandate the Federal Ministry of Health to forward its detailed reports of the
investigations carried out on allegations leveled against the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Professor Abdus-Samiu
Adewale Musa-Olomu to your office and to us as the petitioner in order to prevent
subversion of justice/attempt to sweep the allegations of age falsification, mismanagement of public funds and abuse of office under the carpet”.
