The directive by the Honourable Minister of Health, that all doctors in government hospitals should be sacked is unfortunate. Coming at a time when the government could not pay the salaries and allowances of doctors and other workers, intimidating them through the termination of their employments is illegal.
In employment matters where same enjoys statutory flavor, the employer cannot determine the employment at will. The doctors are not employed at the pleasure of the minister or government. Their employments are protected by statute.
Furthermore, no notice was issued to the doctors, no queries were issued and no disciplinary procedure was initiated. What that means is that the minister cannot sack doctors through the media, as if he was a military man operating in a junta.
This is only an indication of the body language of dictatorship, that other members of the Buhari regime are copying from the President.
Very recently, this same Buhari regime directed banks nationwide not to sack its workers in a purely master and Servant relationship. It smacks of the greatest hypocrisy for that same government to purport to sack its own workers whose employment enjoy statutory flavor. This present government is thriving upon illegalities and legal absurdities.
In a country where the economy has been run aground, where education is in total comatose and unemployment has climbed the roof, it is amazing that a government that cannot even fulfill its own campaign promise of generating three million jobs annually, is comfortable to sack all doctors and throw the nation into health crisis, where patients will be left unattended to.
I therefore urge the good people of Nigeria to prevail on General Muhammadu Buhari, Rtd., to call the minister of health to order to reinstate the doctors.
Thank you.
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa
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