By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
The Board of Trustees, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, has petitioned the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, over alleged unlawful re-appointment of Dr Tosan Erhabor as Registrar, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN).
In the petition addressed to Dr Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, the Board alleged breach of extant rules in a purported renewal of appointment of Erhabor as MLSCN Registrar, for another four years.
Prompt News reports that a copy of the petition signed by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mrs Adunni Udu, was made available to newsmen in Abuja.
In the petition, the Board alleged that Erhabor opened and operated a private account with Providus Bank with Number 9616374897 accessed through the CREDO PLATFORM, as against the federal government policy on Treasury Single Account (TSA).
He was also alleged of failure to constitute an accreditation committee, rather single-handedly carried out accreditation of facilities.
Erhabor was also alleged of charging various fees without recourse to the supervising ministry since there is no Board.
The Board narrated that Erhabor headed the Council in Acting capacity for three years from June 2015, before he was confirmed as substantive Registrar in Aug. 2019.
According to the board, such appointment was an aberration of extant rule which states that appointment in acting capacity should not exceed six months.
The Board also alleged that the Registrar failed to tender his retirement letter from MLSCN as a career officer, at the point of taking up the appointment in substantive capacity as required by civil service rule.
Specifically, the Board contended that the appointment was a subversion of extant provisions of “Interpretation of Public Service Rules on Compulsory Retirement Age/Year of Service in Relation to Tenured Appointments of Serving Public Officer”,
The provisions of the civil service rules which the Board said was communicated in 2009, via a circular by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), specifically states that:
“Career officers who wish to take up tenured appointments, should at the point of the taking up the appointment, retire from service to ensure they run their term uninterruptedly.
“The career officer who has not retired or chose not to retire from service before the commencement of their tenured appointment, must leave office on attainment of the mandatory age/year of service for retirement.
“The career officers who are currently holding tenured appointments are required to retire from the service with immediate effect and continue to run their term.
“Failure to do so, will mean that they would vacate office on attaining the mandatory age of retirement or the expiration of their term, whichever comes first”
The board alleged that Erhabor did not tender his retirement letter from MLSCN as a career officer at the point of taking up the appointment in substantive capacity as required by the rule.
According to the Board, the Erhabor’s recent resignation from the Council as a Director, four years after his appointment as Registrar, was aimed at shortchanging the system.
“Dr Tosan Erhabor did not resign his position before taking up the appointment at at first tenure.
“He is currently, 59 years old and must retire at the age of 60 years on July 22, 2024 as per the date of his birth contained in his employee payslip.
“No bad precedence must be allowed to go unchecked. Allowing this illegality unchecked will establish a bad precedence in the service .
“The system must not allow for any sacred cow opportunism that will breed cynicism , shortchanging, favouritism, discomfort and hostile work environment,” the board said.
The board added that it would not hesitate to seek redress in court, if Erhabor was not relief of his position as Registrar of MLSCN on July 22, when he would be 60 years.
“The Board of Trustee, has already briefed her Attorney to prepare for litigation and other legal actions by practitioners of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology in Nigeria.
“The OHCSF and the Federal Ministry of Health are hereby put on notice, that failure to ensure the exit of Dr Erhabor in July 2024, we will pursue every legal process and actions desirable,” the board said.
However, when asked about the petition, the Registrar of the Council, Erhabor, said that he was unaware of it but would respond appropriately after reviewing and understanding its content when brought to his notice.
Similarly, when the Minister, Alausa was confronted with the petition, he assured that the ministry would look into it and respond soon.
