… Urges organised labour to verify facts

… Says fraudsters defraud job seekers of ₦600,000 in recruitment scam

… Threatens legal action

The management of FUTA Teaching Hospital (FUTATH), Akure, Ondo State, has expressed concern that the protests and campaigns allegedly aimed at discrediting the institution were being driven by individuals seeking to cover up financial malfeasance committed during the transition from the defunct UNIMED Teaching Hospital.

According to the hospital’s leadership, certain persons fronting as officials had collected substantial sums of money from job seekers with promises of securing placement in the new Federal Teaching Hospital, which succeeded the old institution.

In a statement issued by the public relations officer of the institution, Tope Fayehun, hapless applicants allegedly paid sums ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦600,000 and were issued “appointment letters”.

• The management has also received reports that some of the affected job-seekers, whose names have been withheld, are now demanding refunds from the fraudsters after it became clear they would not be absorbed into the federal establishment as promised.

Fayehun disclosed that the transition to FUTA Teaching Hospital had been governed by the Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Government and the Ondo State Government, stressing that the agreement did not provide for the automatic absorption of every individual associated with the former institution.

The statement read in parts, “It is against this backdrop that the management believes the public deserves to know that the current agitation may not be solely about workers’ welfare but could also be linked to efforts by the fraudsters to cover up or divert attention from these serious allegations.

“Consequently, the management could not have circumvented established federal government guidelines or compromise due process to satisfy external pressure, which is being mounted remotely by these influential fraudsters.”

The management subsequently urged the leadership of organised labour to examine all the facts before lending support to any campaign against the hospital, noting that labour’s acknowledged noble responsibility is to protect the genuine interests of workers and not to become an inadvertent instrument for advancing personal or group agendas or covering up their misdeeds.

The hospital further stated that it may have no option but to take appropriate legal action against the faceless fraudsters if they continue to prosecute a proxy war against the hospital, rather than make things right with their victims.

“The hospital is prepared to make available relevant information and material in its possession to the appropriate law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies.

“FUTA Teaching Hospital remains focused on its mandate of building a transparent, accountable and world-class tertiary healthcare institution. No amount of intimidation, misinformation or undue pressure will deter the management from upholding merit, due process and the rule of law.

“The management called on members of staff, organised labour, stakeholders and the general public to support truth, transparency and constructive dialogue while allowing the appropriate authorities to investigate any allegations of wrongdoing.”