Controversy Trails CMD Federal Medical Center Abeokuta Exit Date As Group Agitate For His Resignation
As the date of birth claimed by the Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Center, Abeokuta, Professor Adewale Musa-Olomu gets nearer, some stakeholders including human rights group has urged the Federal Ministry of Health, State to compel the CMD to proceed on terminal leave.
The group said as Prof Musa-Olomu attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 on January 6, 2024, the stakeholders said based on the Civil Service rules, the CMD ought to have proceeded on pre retirement on October 6, 2023, three months to his mandatory exit from Civil Service.
The stakeholder comprising some staff and human rights groups who in a petition sent to the Federal Ministry of Health and the Presidency submitted that the CMD ought to have put a process on ground on how he will proceed on three months of terminal leave by October 6, as been stipulated by civil service rules.
It could be recalled that Prof. Musa Olomu had adopted January 6, 1964 as his date of birth.
Musa Olomu was said to have adopted the date in a statutory declaration of age, sworn to at the Customary Court, Kisi, Oyo State, in March 2, 2009.
According to an FMC official, Musa-Olomu has now adopted 1964 as his new year of birth.
He noted that with the adjustment, the MD will attain 60, the mandatory service age of retirement, in 2024.
Speaking to Our Correspondent, a Staff in the Center who pleads for annonimity said based on the documents submitted by Prof Olomu at the FMC, Abeokuta and series of controversies surrounding his birth date, the claimed that he was born in January 6th 1964, showed that by October, 2023, he must proceed on compulsory pre retirement leave.
She said those that falls with same category with the CMD have been notified already through a memo dated 23rd September , 2023.
“But rather for him to prepare to wind down he continue to work as if nothing is happening.
She cited the case of a former Chief Medical Director of Neuro Psychiatric hospital, Aro Abeokuta who was directed to proceed on terminal leave following her attainment of the mandatory 60 years.
In the letter with reference no DHS /889/1; P. 1953/56 dated 27th Nov, 2015 the Ministry of Health, stated, “after duly considering your letter and with reference to the circular Ref. No.HCSF/EMS/EIR/B.63694,/IV/T2/96 of july, 2009 the ministry wishes to state that:
i. The paragraph ll of the circular was meant for career officers holding
tenured office in 2009 when the circular was released.
i. in keeping with paragraph i of the circular, your retirement would have
been on or before 24” January, 2014 which was
effective date of your
appointment as MD.
“In view of the above, I am directed to inform you to vacate office and hand
to the Head of Clinical
Services immediately. having attained the mandatory retirement age of sixty (60) years in March, 2016.
“Accept the assurances of the Honourable Minister of state’s warm regards.
“With this, the Chief Medical Director must vacate his office because according to the circular he is a Civil Servant having taking the appointment, though with a tenure.
But in his reaction, a legal practitioner Barrister Kunle Adeoye said the Medical Director may hinged his non compliance with the Civil Service Rule because his appointment is political.
He said because it was based on a tenurial appointment, he has the right to complete his tenure.
Every efforts by Our Correspondent to get reaction from Prof. Musa Olomu proved abortive as all calls put across to him were not answered and messages sent to his mobile line were not returned.
