The disengaged staff of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, on Friday, protested at the hospital premises following the failure of the management to reverse the decision to lay them off.
The Federal Government terminated the employment of over 1500 hospital workers due to alleged irregularities in their recruitment process.
These workers protested against a directive from the hospital management to conduct examinations for specific positions that were up for consideration for reemployment.
The demonstrators, demanding the suspension of the examination, blockaded the main gates of the hospital, halting both human and vehicular traffic in and out of the complex.
According to Samson Falope, one of the dismissed employees, the circular indicated that the examination would take place on March 9 at the Command Day Secondary School, Army Barrack, Ede, Osun.
“What we discovered was that the circular for the conduct of recruitment exercises under the June 2022 recruitment waiver has been released, which led to the protest.
“The ministry in charge had been notified; the House of Representatives and the National Assembly were aware too. All we are waiting for is their intervention and resolution.
“We are hopeful that the examination will be suspended indefinitely,” he said.
The Public Relations Officer of OAUTHC, Miss Kemi Fasoto, told NAN that the examination would be conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare as scheduled.