The claims and insinuations that the staff of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owerri are overwhelmingly against the recall of their medical director, Dr. (Mrs.) Angela Uwakwem was yesterday busted when all the doctors' unions at the medical centre dissociated themselves from the unpatriotic actions of the labour union. In a release signed collectively by leaders of the medical associations, the doctors made it clear that the doctors were all at their duty posts attending to patients and advised those who needed medical attention to come.
I want to use this opportunity to thank my brother Irobi Darlingtoni for his maturity in agreeing to objectively take a second look at issues involved and reassessing his position based on facts on ground. We had openly disagreed and engaged each other intellectually as civilized minds without resort to insults and name calling which is how it should be. We write for history and posterity.
It is ridiculous, unfortunate and laughable that an employee will have the guts and temerity to accuse his/her employer of high handedness and still expect not to be fired. This is incredible because if it were actually so, a good number of them will be in the unemployment line by now, bemoaning their fate.
And for those who claimed that majority of the staff of FMC Owerri is against Dr. Uwakwem's recall, the release by the doctors has debunked that. In any case, it is settled that he who has the power to hire, can fire. It is not the hospital staff that voted for Dr. Uwakwem to be hired as FMC Owerri medical director and consequently, cannot purport to demand her sack. They should rather emulate the doctors by going back to their various duty posts to perform the duties for which they were employed instead of resorting unproductive politicking.
The truth is that just like any other bureaucratic establishment, FMC Owerri has a hierarchical order or organigram. It is not a democratic institution unlike the labour union where the workers elect their leaders by majority vote. Rather, the President appoints the medical director and management board of the FMC on the recommendation of the Minister of Health and they serve at the pleasure of he who appointed them. If the person at whose pleasure they serve has no issues with them, that ends the matter. The earlier those recalcitrant staff gets this into their heads, the better for them.
An interesting revelation by Irobi Darlington's post is that the leader of the labour union spearheading the protests is from Ebonyi State where there is also a federal government owned tertiary health institution. He should be advised to seek transfer to his home State if he cannot accept to work under Dr. Uwakwem. If in the face of all these provocations, Dr. Uwakwem has not taken any step to disengage these recalcitrant staff, I wonder how she could be said to be high handed.
Credit: Olu Ibekwe