A peaceful protest by organised labour at the Federal University of Technology, Akure Teaching Hospital (FUTATH) turned chaotic on Friday after police allegedly dispersed demonstrators with teargas, escalating an industrial dispute over the absorption of workers following the hospital’s transition to federal ownership.
The organised labour in Ondo state in a statement in Abuja alleged that armed police officers, acting on the directive of the hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Segun Ojo, assaulted workers and union members while repeatedly firing teargas within the hospital premises.
The unions claimed the incident caused panic among patients and staff, with patients reportedly fleeing the facility amid the commotion.
The protest stems from a dispute over the outcome of the recently concluded Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) biometric capturing exercise conducted by the hospital management.
According to the unions, the management failed to absorb more than 45 per cent of the inherited staff from the former University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), contrary to the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Ondo state government and the federal government before the hospital’s takeover.
The labour movement argued that the MoU expressly provided that all inherited staff should be absorbed into the federal establishment, while eligible casual workers should also be considered.
The unions further alleged that the IPPIS exercise was marred by irregularities, including the exclusion of inherited workers, job racketeering, and disregard for established industrial relations principles, warning that such actions could trigger avoidable industrial unrest.
They maintained that while the MoU made provisions for federal character and other statutory requirements, these should not be implemented at the expense of workers already employed by the hospital before its transfer to the federal government.
The organised labour vowed to sustain its protest and picketing of the hospital until the Ondo State Government intervenes to resolve the dispute.
The unions also called on the federal government to review the appointment of the pioneer Chief Medical Director, Prof. Ojo, alleging that the hospital has experienced recurring labour disputes and a hostile working environment since he assumed office.
They urged both the federal government and the Ondo State Government to investigate the allegations and urgently mediate to prevent a further escalation of the crisis.
Efforts to get response from the management of the Federal University of Technology Akure Teaching Hospital and the police regarding the allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.