The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, has demanded the immediate and full reinstatement of Adeyinka Isola as the hospital’s director of pharmacy.

According to the union, this demand follows the Federal Ministry of Health’s direct intervention in Mr Isola’s disciplinary case.

Oladayo Olabampe, chairman of both NUAHP and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) at the hospital, disclosed this in Ibadan on Thursday.

Mr Olabampe explained that the Ministry of Health stepped in after UCH management recommended Mr Isola’s dismissal over selling a donated tricycle.

While the tricycle originally belonged to Mr Isola as a personal gift, he had donated it to the pharmacy department for official use.

Following an initial internal university investigation that cleared Mr Isola of liability, the ministry dispatched an independent investigative team from Abuja to review the case.

“The panel found that he made an administrative error by not disclosing the sale of the tricycle to the UCH management.

“The panel interacted with Isola and the hospital management, and the records showed he did not lie. However, due to some underlying factors, the management still recommended his dismissal over an issue that barely warranted a warning,” Mr Olabampe said.

The union leader noted that the ministry agreed that Mr Isola erred by selling the property without management approval but firmly concluded that dismissal was unjust.

“The Ministry of Health explicitly stated that this man does not deserve to be dismissed. It is true he made a mistake, but he is not a thief. They recommended a reprimand instead of dismissal or the partial reinstatement the UCH management is currently offering,” Mr Olabampe stated.

The union leader, however, clarified that all proceeds from the sale were deposited directly into the pharmacy department’s official account.

Furthermore, Mr Isola provided comprehensive receipts detailing how the funds were utilised for the department’s pressing needs.

Mr Olabampe emphasised that there was no financial misappropriation, noting that Mr Isola donated the vehicle only because he was the head of the department.

However, the UCH management’s partial reinstatement came with a caveat: Isola would no longer be allowed to head the pharmacy department.

The union has rejected this condition as unacceptable, arguing that as the substantive director of pharmacy, Mr Isola must be allowed to fulfil the constitutional responsibilities of his office.

“He is the director, and, by virtue of his office, he should be in charge of the department’s administration. You cannot claim to reinstate someone only to deploy them where they will be redundant,” Mr Olabampe argued.

He reminded management that the Federal Ministry of Health remains the hospital’s supervisory body, and its directives must be fully implemented.

“The ministry has sent another representative to handle the matter, and we are confident they will do the right thing,” he added.

Mr Olabampe confirmed that while the union’s industrial action remains active, strict enforcement has been paused to allow room for the ministry’s ongoing mediation and expressed optimism that the dispute would be resolved within the week.

The NUAHP leader maintained that after about 34 years of unblemished service, an administrative oversight should not cost an official their career.

“We maintain that Isola is not a thief. He made a mistake and has been cleared. No one should punish him further,” Mr Olabampe said.

(NAN)