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As the tenure of the current Registrar of the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria (RRBN), Dr…. elapses on March 5, there is a raging controversy among members of the Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN).
While some insist that the power to appoint a new registrar lies with the Board, others, including Professor Anthony Ugwu of the Department of Radiography, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, think otherwise.
Following the recent advertisement by the Ministry of Health announcing the impending vacancy in the office of the Registrar, the ARN issued a statement, insisting that the exercise must comply with the Radiographers’ Registration Act.
The statement also cited Section 7(1) of the Act, which vests the authority to appoint the Registrar in the Governing Board of the RRBN.
The ARN claimed that any recruitment process outside a duly constituted Governing Board was inconsistent with the Act.
But, Prof Ugwu, reacting to the development, disagreed with his colleagues’ submission, insisting that the Ministry of Health was acting within its rights. He argued that since the Ministry constitutes the Board and can take over its duties in its absence, in line with Chapter 17 of the Public Service Rules, it is within its constitutional powers to appoint the Board’s registrar.
He noted that the ministry had conducted interviews for previous registrars and that the former Registrar, appointed by the Ministry, performed better than the current one appointed by the Radiographers’ Board.
He, therefore, advised his colleagues to ask questions when in doubt, implying they were uninformed about the process.
He noted that the ministry’s involvement was not unprecedented, as it appointed the former Registrar in the absence of the Board.
He said: “The controversy highlights differing interpretations of the Radiographers’ Registration Act, the roles of the Ministry of Health and the Radiographers Board in appointing the Registrar.”
While some radiographers insist on strict adherence to the Act, Prof Ugwu has thrown his weight behind the ministry’s actions, citing practical considerations and precedent.
