0
Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Federal University of Technology, Akure Teaching Hospital (FUTATH), Prof. Olusegun Ojo, on Monday, disclosed that the remaining members of staff, who were yet to undergo capturing with IPPS, have appeared for the exercise in the mop-up capturing exercise.
He disclosed that only 800 out of the 1200 start-off establishment (members of staff) were approved for the Teaching Hospital by the Office of Organisation Design and Development unit of the office of the Head of Service.
The CMD explained that with the successful capturing of the approved and absorbed staff, the members of staff would receive their first salaries in August, having been placed on the payroll.
Prof. Ojo said: “At the end of the exercise, the recommendations were further reviewed by the Office of Organisation Design and Development under the Office of the Head of Service before arriving at our approved take-off establishment.
“After extensive engagement, they approved a take-off staff strength of 1,200. They then specified the individuals approved on the document, which was endorsed by the Head of Service and forwarded to the Office of the Accountant-General.
”The Accountant-General subsequently transmitted the document to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) for enrolment and payroll processing.
”We are pleased to announce that between June 8 and June 13, officials came for staff capture. Before then, notifications had been sent electronically, although many staff members received them late due to network and communication challenges. As a result, some people were not captured during the first exercise.
“However, over 800 staff members were captured. We reviewed the records and identified those who were left out.
”Last week, on July 9, a mop-up capture exercise was conducted in Abuja. This is a standard operating procedure under IPPIS. After the main capture, anyone left out for any reason is invited for a mop-up exercise in Abuja. We appreciate the prompt follow-up by the IPPIS team.
”The standard procedure requires affected individuals to appear physically at the capture centre, which was approved by both IPPIS and the Human Resources Department of the Federal Ministry of Health.
”My responsibility is to ensure that everyone approved for this hospital is placed on the payroll as quickly as possible because the Ondo State Government has continued to bear the burden of paying salaries under the terms of the MOU until the Federal Teaching Hospital assumes full responsibility.”
Speaking on the job racketeering that happened in the Teaching Hospital, the CMD stated that he has been empowered to petition the appropriate agency in respect of the scam.
He said, “On the issue of job racketeering, when I assumed office, I did not have control over the staff because they belonged to another establishment. However, I received reports that some people collected money from job seekers and issued fake employment letters, claiming they would be absorbed into the new teaching hospital.
”This was disturbing because some of those letters were dated months before I became Chief Medical Director. I officially assumed duty on October 23, so I could not have authorised any of them.
”I believe that those who deceived people into believing they would automatically be absorbed into the teaching hospital created false expectations.
“Those affected became understandably angry, but unfortunately, directed their anger at the wrong person.
Some individuals have deliberately fuelled this anger against me unfairly. We have compiled complaints and may forward them to the appropriate authorities.
“At the time, I could not act because the individuals involved were not yet under my authority. Now that the establishment process has been concluded, we will be able to write petitions where necessary.”
