A group has asked for the immediate suspension of the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, Ondo State, Dr Ahmed Adeagbo, pending the outcome of a court case and probes of alleged financial impropriety against him.
The group, Concerned Senior Medical Staff of Federal Medical Centre stated this in its separate petitions to the Inspector General of Police, Baba Alkali and the National Security Adviser (NSA), General Babagana Monguno.
The group, in a press release made available to Newscoven.ng, asked the Board of the institution to place the CMD on immediate suspension, pending when he will resolve the court case and the anti-graft probes he is battling with.
Coordinator of the group, Elder Dominic Iyayi, stated that the demand became imperative in view of the fact that his ongoing cases would not affect his primary responsibilities as the CMD of the FMC, Owo.
The body of the FMC senior medical staff accused the Board of Directors of the institution of complicity and shielding the embattled CMD by not placing him on suspension.
It also accused the Management of the Federal Ministry of Health of not acting on the various petitions submitted to it due to an financial inducement it is allegedly enjoying from the CMD and his team.
“The demand became imperative due to the overwhelming and enormous internal wrangling the CMD is battling with within the system which, according to the petition, have been affecting his primary responsibilities as CMD of the hospital.
“We urge you sir, to call on the institution’s Board of Directors, headed by the chairman, Hon. Simeon Ayamkade and secretary, Mr Lucky Omoregba, respectively to direct Dr Adeagbo to step aside as CMD.
“This is because the Board of Directors has the legal right to do so when a CMD is having both legal and administrative battles that are hindering him or her from carrying out his or her primary duties effectively.
“The CMD is battling with court case over his second term appointment. The case is before Justice A. A Adewemimo of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Akure Division.
“Dr Adeagbo has also been a regular guest of anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), over allegations of financial improprieties.
“The development which has been affecting effective administrative coordinations of his office as the CMD of the FMC, Owo.
“There is a precedence sir; the former CMD, Dr Olufemi Omotosho, who had similar problems and the Board of Directors directed Dr Omotosho to proceed on indefinite suspension.
“We call you sir to direct the Board to do the needful by asking the CMD to proceed on suspension so that an acting CMD will take charge of the affairs of the institution, pending the time he will resolve the lingering crisis within the system.
“We suspect a foul play between the Board and the CMD. If not, the CMD has been due for suspension long ago, but the chairman of the Board is protecting him.
“The development is not good for the system because the CMD is spending reasonable number of times to attend to anti-graft agencies’ invitations and court issues than his normal administrative job.
“In view of this development, we want you to use your good office to resolve this matter once and for all because the management of Federal Ministry Health has refused to act on the various petitions submitted to its end due to financial inducement being enjoyed from the CMD and his team”, Iyayi stated in the press release.
