From Umar Dankano, Yola
The Adamawa State Government has been urged to reverse its earlier decision on the sacking of over a hundred casual workers at the Yola Specialist Hospital in the interest of justice and fairness.
Some of the affected workers told this medium in Yola on Thursday that they had been working as casual staff, popularly known as “month-to-month workers,” for many years before they were suddenly ordered by the hospital management to stop reporting to work without any clear reason.
They claimed that Governor Ahmadu Fintiri had earlier promised to consider them for permanent employment whenever opportunities became available during his tenure.
Investigation by this reporter revealed that many of the affected workers had served the hospital for decades, with some claiming to have worked between 12 and 20 years. They were initially paid as little as N5,000 monthly in 2006, which was later increased to N10,000 in 2010 and subsequently reviewed to N20,000 in 2020.
A source within the hospital, who pleaded anonymity, said that during the tenure of former Medical Director, Dr. Bala Sai’du, the relationship between the hospital management and the month-to-month staff was cordial and productive. However, the situation allegedly began to deteriorate with the appointment of the current Medical Director, Dr. Dauda Wadinga.
The source alleged that the current leadership lacks the administrative capacity required to effectively manage the facility, noting that the development has created a gap between management and staff.
He further lamented that routine weekly briefings previously held to assess hospital activities and make necessary improvements have also ceased.
The source recalled that Governor Fintiri had once visited the hospital during his first tenure and promised that all casual workers would be considered for employment once the state government lifted the embargo on recruitment. According to him, the government has since conducted recruitment exercises up to five times, yet none of the month-to-month staff were absorbed.
“We have done nothing wrong, yet we were simply asked to stop coming to work. I have spent 20 years here since 2006 as a month-to-month worker with the hope of eventually being employed as a permanent staff member.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Governor Fintiri visited the hospital, he assured us that whenever employment opportunities arose, month-to-month workers would be given priority before others. Unfortunately, the management allegedly abused that process.
“We were shocked by the sack notice given to us. When we demanded explanations, security guards were sometimes asked to escort us out of the premises. We are appealing to Governor Fintiri to look into our matter for justice and fairness,” the source said.
Another affected worker, who also requested anonymity, described the development as “unfortunate and condemnable,” considering the number of years many of the workers had devoted to the hospital.
He alleged that instead of addressing their concerns, the hospital management under Dr. Wadinga had allegedly recruited some of his associates to take over their duties, even without the required qualifications.
“The MD lacks the administrative skills and commitment to ensure that we are employed as promised by the Governor. Instead, he appears more interested in satisfying personal interests,” the source alleged.
When contacted on phone for comment, the Medical Director, Dr. Dauda Wadinga, declined to respond, stating that it was a weekend and he could not discuss official matters.
“Oga, today is Sunday and a weekend. I am on holiday because it is not a working day. If you want anything official, come to the office,” Wadinga said before ending the call.
This reporter made several attempts to meet the Medical Director at his office but was unable to do so, as he was not available. The reporter’s phone number was also blocked before the time of filing this report.
However, reacting to the development, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Hon. Felix Tangwami, confirmed the termination notice but said he was unaware of any promise by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to employ the casual workers at the Yola Specialist Hospital.
Tangwami clarified that employment decisions were not limited to the specialist hospital alone but covered all health facilities across the state. He explained that approval had been granted to recruit 300 supporting staff across 20 hospitals in Adamawa State.
He appealed to the aggrieved workers to remain patient, noting that some of them had already been absorbed and that the government would continue to consider employment based on available resources and manpower needs.
“We have been given 1,390 vacancies to recruit personnel across different professions in the state. Out of these, we were asked to select 300 as supporting staff, but we require more professionals than supporting staff.
“They should remain patient for their turn in the future. These ad hoc workers are currently paid through the running cost of the Yola Specialist Hospital, and I am aware of the challenges the management is facing over this matter.
“As a ministry, we will engage the hospital management to see what can be done to address some of these agitations. While the hospital management has certain administrative autonomy, they do not have the authority to recruit staff. That responsibility lies with the Health Services Management Board (HSMB),” Tangwami said.