UITH Workers Protest over Poor Working Conditions in Kwara

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Workers of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Kwara State under the aegis of Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU) recently staged a peaceful protest against unpleasant working conditions in the institution and non-payment of salary arrears of workers.

The union also accused the outgoing Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Prof. Abdulwaheed Olatinwo, of insensitivity to workers’ plight.

Addressing journalists in Ilorin, UITH chairman of JOHESU, Comrade Olatunde Oluwawumi said that, the union would start a seven-day warning strike as from this week to press home for their demands.

According to him, “We wrote the outgoing CMD, Professor Olatinwo about our demand two weeks ago giving him ultimatum and also listed our demands, asked him to attend to lack of drugs, consumables and equipment in the hospital; payment of 2009 and 2011 promotion arrears; payment of skipping arrears.”

He said that, “So now we want the federal government to start to audit the accounts of teaching hospitals in the country.

“We want federal government not to choose Minister of Health from any profession in the teaching hospital. During the administration of Prof. Eyitayo Lambo there was no strike at all in the teaching hospital. Because he is not a medical doctor he was fair to all. So long as the government chooses a medical doctor as minister problems in the health sector will continue. If there is no response we will wait for the directive from the headquarters.”

On the union’s expectation from the incoming CMD, he said “we pray and hope that God to gives us the one that has the interest of members of staff at heart; that will have mercy upon us and that will not deny us of our rights and emoluments.

“There is no water in the hospital, no electricity supply. The hospital has obsolete equipment. What we have discovered is that the outgoing Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Abdulwaheed Olatinwo does not have the interest of the hospital at heart.

“Instead of purchasing drugs and equipment, the CMD prefers to be building unwanted houses. We know the reason why they are building houses, it is because of the 10 per cent they will get from contractors.

“The CMD is bringing Minister of Health to this hospital on Saturday this week for the inauguration of the irrelevant structures. The man is leaving the hospital worst than he met it.

“Based on all these issues that we have raised, we are doing our befitting send forth for the CMD with this protest and planned strike which commences on Thursday this week.