Why I’m appointed in acting capacity after serving four years — Yaba Neuropsychiatric Hospital MD

The Acting Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, says his recent appointment is in l...

The Acting Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, says his recent appointment is in line with established civil service procedure following the expiration of his first tenure.

Owoeye noted that although his initial four-year term ended on May 31, 2025, he had earlier applied for renewal and undergone performance assessments by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, with a recommendation subsequently forwarded to the Presidency.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with PUNCH HealthWise, the MD said while awaiting approval for renewal, the ministry issued him a letter to serve in an acting capacity, a step he described as “standard practice” to avoid a leadership vacuum.

PUNCH HealthWise reports that the Nigerian Medical Association and Trade Union Congress had been at loggerheads over the appointment of Owoeye as acting MD after serving a four-year term as substantive medical director of the institution.

The NMA demanded the immediate reversal of Owoeye’s appointment as the acting MD after the announcement, describing it as “illegal and lacking transparency”.

According to the NMA Lagos chapter, the appointment contravened civil service rules and ignored objections from key internal stakeholders.

In response, the Lagos State chapter of the TUC condemned what it described as a “coordinated smear campaign” by NMA aimed at discrediting Owoeye.

But speaking with our correspondent, Owoeye clarified that such temporary appointments are often given to the most senior officer, which, in this case, he said, made him eligible by rank and years of service.

“I’m not the first to be given a letter for acting capacity. It has been done elsewhere. Also, the ministry has the authority to issue such letters to appoint anyone in an acting capacity pending the time a substantive MD is appointed, as it cannot allow a leadership vacuum in a federal hospital like FNPHY. Usually, the person put in acting capacity must be the most senior officer or doctor in the hospital. I remain the most senior officer. So, the ministry did the right thing.

“I am still the most senior officer in the hospital in rank, in years of service, and position. In the hierarchy, I am still the most senior, the only thing is that I don’t have a letter of tenure extension, which they claim. The only difference is that I am now serving in an acting capacity, based on a new letter, not a continuation of the previous tenure as claimed.

“In fact, in other hospitals, similar transitions have occurred without incident. It was done in Aro, Owo, and Benin, and there was no issue around it. Acting capacity is typically given to the most senior officer, unless that person is retiring. In my case, I’m not retiring. So, by policy and hierarchy, I remain eligible,” the acting MD said.

He, however, accused some internal stakeholders and leaders of certain professional associations of deliberately stirring controversy over his acting status.

“My first tenure ended on May 31, 2025. Before then, I had applied for renewal of tenure since January. The ministry acknowledged my application and sent senior directors to assess my performance, and I was found worthy of being considered for a second tenure. A report to the effect was written and sent to the Presidency for approval.

“But along the line, some people within the system instigated others and began writing damaging things in the press. As a result of their actions, the presidency paused the process, prompting the ministry to send three auditors to come down to the institution to investigate the allegations against me as contained in the report published by an online platform. After their audit, they found nothing incriminating.

“Because of the allegations in the press, I was also invited to Abuja, where a final panel of seven was set up. They interviewed me, interacted with staff and patients, and reviewed all allegations. Again, they found nothing. At that point, the ministry discovered that it was politically motivated, all because of the tenure renewal.

“Now, once a tenure ends, it is standard procedure not to extend it outright. Instead, the individual can be placed on acting capacity, so the medical director can act pending final approval of his letter for tenure renewal. So, since no wrongdoing was found during the probe by the auditors, I was issued a letter to continue as Acting Medical Director until the process is concluded. That’s what triggered the fresh wave of opposition.”

He said attempts to politicise the hospital’s leadership transition were unfounded and would not derail hospital operations, which he maintained were running smoothly.

“The unrest is being caused by one individual who is desperate to become an MD. The hospital, as you’ve seen yourself, is at peace. This issue is just from the individual and two others he teamed up with, painting what is not in the pages of newspapers and online platforms. It’s a calculated attempt to disrupt the hospital and discredit the system and leadership. But by God’s grace, they won’t succeed,” the acting MD said.

Speaking on delayed salaries of newly recruited doctors, he said, “This is not peculiar to our hospital. Aro, FMC Owo, and Uyo Teaching Hospital are facing the same issue of delayed salary payment for newly recruited resident doctors. It is not all our resident doctors who are affected; it is just the newly recruited 20 resident doctors.

“They used the delay as an excuse to launch attacks. It’s all politics. IPPIS controls salary payments, not me. Salaries come from Abuja. All staff salaries, including my own as the acting MD, come from Abuja, which is the central point. They don’t give me money to pay salaries, and I am surprised they’re linking the salary delay to me. They’re just out to mislead the public and create unnecessary tension.”

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).