NMA demands removal of hospital director as doctors threaten strike

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State Branch, has called for the immediate removal of Olugbenga Owoeye as Acting Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba.

During a press conference on Friday, the group cited a breakdown in leadership, violations of due process, and worsening welfare conditions for medical staff.

The demand follows a strike notice issued by resident doctors at the hospital, who say newly employed doctors have worked for over five months without pay.

The doctors have now declared a one-week warning strike starting Monday, 7 July, with a threat to embark on an indefinite action if their salaries remain unpaid by the end of the month.

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, in a communique released on 2 July, described the situation as “intolerable” and condemned the repeated pattern of delays in paying new doctors.

The association expressed frustration that “management has allowed this issue to persist for several years” despite multiple efforts to resolve it.

“The Congress observed with despair that the June salary window had closed without the new residents receiving their first salaries, after working for five months,” the ARD said.

Leadership crisis at Yaba Hospital

Lagos NMA accused the Federal Ministry of Health of appointing Mr Owoeye without following civil service rules.

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NMA Chairman in Lagos, Babajide Saheed, said the appointment “lacks transparency, violates civil service rules, and was carried out despite serious and unresolved allegations of administrative inefficiency.”

The association said the appointment has further worsened staff morale and disrupted the hospital’s operations.

It called for an immediate reversal of Mr Owoeye’s appointment and insisted that he should hand over to the most senior medical doctor in the hospital in line with federal guidelines.

MDCAN concerns

The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) at the hospital echoed NMA’s concerns in a separate letter signed by its Chairman, Jayeola Kajero.

The consultants accused the Ministry of ignoring multiple petitions about alleged misconduct by Mr Owoeye and extending his acting tenure without addressing these concerns.

“The Honourable Minister, without recourse to due process, extended the tenure of the same individual in an acting capacity. This act, in our opinion, validates misconduct and undermines the principles of accountability and institutional integrity,” MDCAN said.

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Both the NMA and MDCAN are calling on the Federal Ministry of Health to urgently address the crisis at the hospital by appointing a new acting medical director through a transparent process and ensuring prompt payment of salaries owed to affected doctors.

“This press conference is not driven by politics or personality but by a commitment to fairness, transparency, and the protection of patient care standards,” NMA said.

It warned that if the issues remain unresolved, it may be forced to consider other lawful options to defend the “integrity of the medical profession and protect the rights of our members.”

“We call on the relevant authorities, particularly the Federal Ministry of Health and the Presidency, to act swiftly to restore order and professionalism to the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba,” it noted.