Group Kicks Against List of CMD Candidates for Edo Hospital

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

A non-governmental organisation under the umbrella of Esan Descendants Assembly (EDA) has kicked against the outcome of interviews and the subsequent shortlisting of candidates for the position of Chief Medical Director (CMD) at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital Edo State.

The body which said its aim was to protest and project the Esan interest in all spheres, voiced out their displeasure in a statement signed by Prof. Oyaziwo Aluede and Ayo Binite, president and secretary respectively.

The supervisory body of the hospital, the Federal Ministry of Health, had set in motion the process of appointing a CMD for the teaching hospital following the expiration of the tenure of Prof. Sylvanus Okogbenin as the institution’s CMD.

A nine-member interview panel was constituted by the supervising ministry to screen and conduct tests among the five shortlisted candidates to determine the most suitable candidate for the position.

Five candidates who are all staff of the establishment, contested for the position. Four of them, including the Acting CMD, Prof.  Reuben Eifediyi were from Esan while Dr. Mojeed Momoh, was the sole contestant from Edo north.

The immediate past CMD of the hospital, Prof. Sylvanus Okogbenin, was also of the Esan extraction.

However, the nine-member panel which include two resource persons, scored  Momoh above the other contestants.

After it submitted its report to the ministry, with all the members signing, the formal announcement of the substantive CMD of the hospital was caught up in the web of the expiration of the tenure of the Buhari administration.

But it was learnt that upon citing the outcome, the Esan body raised objections, saying they remain the custodian of the hospital which is the only federal government institution in the Edo Central Senatorial district.

The body contended that whoever occupies the position of CMD of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) was important to them.