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There is an uneasy calm at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) Edo State, where ethnic champions are trading allegations on the choice of a substantive Chief Medical Director (CMD).
Professional groups and lobbyists from Edo North and those from Esan stock in Edo Central have joined the fray, seeking to curry favour for their candidate among the four who have been shortlisted by the Federal Ministry of Health for consideration by the Presidency.
Specifically, the contest is between the acting CMD, Prof. Reuben Eifediyi and Dr. Mojeed Momoh, both consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology at ISTH.
The position of the CMD became vacant early January, 2023, and a panel constituted by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), shortlisted five candidates who sat for an examination covering applied professional knowledge, public service rules and general paper on April 12, 2023. They were all interviewed subsequently.
The bone of contention is the outcome of the selection process as some of the aspirants have alleged some form of manipulation by the examiners as well as monetary inducement by one of the candidates to influence its outcome and final recommendation.
It was learnt that against the best of practices, papers were taken home by the examiners and marked the next day and this gave room for manipulation of the result.
One of the candidates screened alleged that against all norms and records at the FMOH, a candidate was given maximum marks in the Public Service Rules and General Paper in an obvious and deliberate bid to score him ahead of other candidates.
“This I was made to understand is the first time a candidate will be given maximum marks in any paper in such interview/exams. Scoring maximum marks can only be done under suspicious circumstances which I believe took place,” said the source.
Grumblings which trailed the screening exercise made the former minister of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, to personally interview all the candidates before writing his recommendation to the president.
A non-governmental organisation, Esan Descendants Assembly (EDA) in a statement by Prof. Oyaziwo Aluede and Ayo Binite, its president and secretary respectively, faulted the outcome of the interview, which apparently ranked an Edo North candidate higher than the rest. The group alleged bias and financial inducement to compromise the process.
But in a counter-allegation, the Edo North League also expressed sadness that EDA is pursuing ethnic sentiment as against meritocracy.
President of the Edo North League, Dr. Desmond Iyokpa, in a statement said the best candidate has emerged through a competitive process of examination and interviews.
It is instructive that all five candidates who aspired to be CMD are staff of the hospital. Four of them, including the acting CMD, Prof. Eifediyi, hail from Esan, while only Dr. Momoh is of Edo North extraction.
EDA’s objection is premised on alleged financial inducement of the panelists.
“It is unfortunate that the process was marred by obvious bias and tendencies of financial compromises on the part of some members of the panel. Only two members of the panel set the questions and also marked alone. They gave maximum scores to their candidate to put him ahead.
“We do not in any way insist that the CMD must be an Esan person, but we insist that the best, based on merit and professional competence, be appointed. We, therefore, call for a review of the processes for setting the questions and markings of the two subjects (Public Service Rules and General Knowledge) in order to ensure that due processes are followed,” said EDA.
The group said it was more concerned about the pedigree and professional integrity of whoever becomes the CMD, “because of the strategic position the institution occupies in the development of Esanland and the nation.”
Furthermore, EDA said: “This institution is the only Federal Government industry in our Senatorial District. The institution has contributed in no small measure to the development of Esanland by giving opportunities for our people to be employed and also training medical doctors and health workers.”
Meanwhile, Prof Eifediyi, who has served as chairman, medical advisory committee as well as the deputy chief medical director, has distanced himself from what he described as “petty allegations of playing the ethnic card.”
He said the result of the examination conducted by the ministry speaks volumes even as he expressed confidence that the right candidate will emerge eventually.
“How could anyone accuse us of playing Esan ethnic card at the Irrua Specialist Hospital as if the people of Esan sat and decided that it must be only their people who head the institutions in the land?
“That is petty, and it lacks substance. Look at the Federal Institute of Construction Technology in Uromi, Esan North-East, we have someone from Edo North (Auchi) as head of the institution, and Esan people don’t have any issues with that, as we see everyone as one, so, how could we now be desperate about Irrua,” he exclaimed.
