On March 8, 2022, after the eight-year tenure of the erstwhile CMD, Dr. Jaf Momoh, the board of the hospital placed an advertisement in some national dailies, calling on suitably qualified candidates to apply for the post.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Ehanire Osagie, is making frantic efforts to compromise the process of appointing a substantive Chief Medical Director, CMD, of the National Hospital, Abuja, the board of the health facility has said.
On March 8, 2022, after the eight-year tenure of the erstwhile CMD, Dr. Jaf Momoh, the board of the hospital placed an advertisement in some national dailies, calling on suitably qualified candidates to apply for the post.
The advert stipulated that a candidate “must be a fellow of either the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria or West Africa Postgraduate Medical College or its equivalent registrable by the medical and Dental Council of Nigeria”.
Another requirement is that the candidate must have been a consultant for a minimum of 10 years.
The minister was said to have set up a 6-member panel to interview applicants for the CMD job.
It was made up of the Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease control (NCDC), Executive Secretary of the Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), eight directors from Federal Ministry of health, Chairman and Board members of National Hospital Abuja, Prof Giwa Osagie renown gynaecologist and former MD of federal medical Centre Jabi, Mrs Igwillo, as resource persons.
The panel subsequently made its final selection and recommended three persons in order of the best performance.
The three finalists were: Dr. Oluwole Olaomi, Dr. Ogbalu and Prof Adekunle Salaudeen.
In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, and obtained by SaharaReporters on Tuesday, Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, Chairperson of NHA Governing Board, accused the Health Minister of cancelling the interview report.
The letter read, “Your Excellency may wish to note, that the matter is the exclusive function of the Board in line with the National Hospital Act (Part. III, 9{i]) which state inter-alia: "there shall be for the Hospital a Chief Medical Director who shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Board and on such terms and conditions as may be specified in his letter of appointment or as may be determined, from time to time, by the Government of the Federation", find attached as Appendix D.
“However, for sake of total inclusiveness of the Ministry, the Interview Panel accommodated representatives of the Ministry including nominees of the Minister, Director-General of the National Centre for disease Control (NCDC) and the Executive Secretary, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) while the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health was Chairman of the Panel who directed all proceedings, while every participant signed the Score Sheet 3. Recommendation of the National Hospital Abuja Governing Board:
“In accordance with the provision of the NHA Act 36 of 1999 (Part. III, 9{i}) establishing the Hospital, on the appointment of a Chief Medical Director stating that: "there shall be for the Hospital a Chief Medical Director who shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Board and on such terms and conditions as may be specified in his letter of appointment or as may be determined, from time to time, by the Government of the Federation". On the strength of this provision, and ni the light of the resolution of the NHA Governing Board Extra-Ordinary Meeting held on Thursday, 13th October, 2022, the entire Board members ratified the recommendation of the Technical Committee which find Seven (7) Candidates appointable, but Three (3) Candidates with the highest score was forwarded to Mr. President through the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Health while the one with the highest score of 89.85% (Dr. Olaomi, Olayemi OLuwole) was however humbly recommended to Your Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, for consideration for appointment as the substantive Chief Medical Director/CEO of National Hospital Abuja.
“The Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Health however cancelled the exercise which was conveyed to the Governing Board via letter of 11th November 2022, Ref No: HMH/ABJ/529/2/1 (attached as Appendix E) on grounds of a petition received from a Candidate who was earlier barred from participating for not indicating her State of Origin or presenting a "Certificate of Indigeneship"
“5. Response of the Governing Board to the Cancellation: After a very careful and exhaustive deliberation by the Board on the cancellation, it was observed that: .ii “The Hon. Minister did not draw the attention of the Board to the petitions neither was the Board given the benefit of fair hearing in line with the principle of natural justice. The earlier short listed candidates that were barred from the exercise based on non- provision of relevant documents, particularly certificate of fitness were allowed to participate by the Honourable Minister, all candidates were given another opportunity to re-present all relevant documents to participate in the final screening exercise.
“il. Two candidates were barred on the ground that one of them did not indicate her state of Origin in her CV or application which is expected of every application in Nigeria. Not necessarily because she did not insert "Certificate of Indigeneship" as stated in the Honourable Minister's letter. The second candidate was barred because he did not present his Certificate of Registration of Additional Qualification with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MCN).
“iv) The Board sought the opinion of the representative of the Federal Character Commission on a Candidate that did not indicate her State of Origin or present her Certificate of Indigeneship whether the candidate can participate or not, his answer was NO, because under the law the principle of Federal Character is very germane to this kind of recruitment that is why the Commission is represented in the panel.
“Current Update: It has been Five (5) months since the conduct of the Interview to select a substantive Chief Medical Director for the National Hospital Abuja and till date no such appointment has been done owing to the aspersion cast by the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Health on the exercise conducted by a Panel that was single handedly constituted by the Honourable Minister comprising of eminent Nigerians and chaired by his Permanent Secretary. This is regardless of the fact that the appointment of Chief Medical Director is the exclusive reserve of the Governing Board as enshrined in the Act establishing the National Hospital Abuja (ACT 36 of 1999). The Governing Board nevertheless accepted the outcome of the interview which was adjudged to be free, fair and transparent.
“Your Excellency, permit me to add that the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions have also received a petition by a Non-Govermental Organisation (NGO) alleging the involvement of Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Health to have violated the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ni the recruitment of a Chief Medical Director for the National Hospital Abuja by unilaterally cancelling the exercise based on flimsy excuse of exclusion of a Candidate who did not present required and relevant document requied by the panel. The candidate thereafter presented the Certificate of Indigeneship tothe House Committee on Public Petition which was obtained a day after the sitting of the Interview Panel.
“8. Your Excellency, you may wish to note that on 21st November 2023, the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Health appointed a new panel to conduct another exercise which never took place for reason best known to the Honourable Minister.
“9. Prayer: Your Excellency, Sir, in the interest of natural justice and rule of law, the Governing Board seeks for your kind intervention to appoint a Chief Medical Director for the National Hospital Abuja based on the outcome of the interview conducted on the 7th October 2022 where Seven (7) Candidates were found appointable, but Three (3) Candidates with the highest score was forwarded to Mr. President through the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Health while the one with the highest score was recommended for Mr President's consideration for appointment.
“10. I am compelled to approach and brief Your Excellency on the matter knowing well that Mr President is a fair and just leader. The source said the panel members had signed and sent the recommendation to the Minister of Health for him to forward the report to President Muhammadu Buhari to pick the best for the appointment.”