Med Lab Scientists Protest Appointment Of ‘Unqualified’ Board Chairman

 

A fresh crisis is brewing in the health sector as the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) on Monday protested against the appointment of Dr. Babajide Salako as the new Chairperson, Board of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), saying it breached the Law.

The organization said Salako, CEO at Dialysis Care Centers Inc, Homer, Illinois, United States does not qualify for such position.

“Despite the law, the well-known tradition usually adhered to for such appointments dictates that only a doctor must head the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria; a pharmacist for the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria; and ditto for the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Why had a doctor been appointed as Chairperson of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria instead of a medical laboratory scientist? What is the basis for the shift from the Law, the noble tradition, and why now?”, the AMLSN queried.

The National President of AMLSN, Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi, who raised the issue at a press conference in Abuja told members nationwide to be at alert on the next directive.

While calling on the National Assembly to investigate the appointment of Salako as Chairman of the Governing Board of MLSCN, he said the message conveyed by the purported appointment is simply that laws made by the legislature and duly signed by the President can be disobeyed by highly placed government officials only to achieve private goals. 

Ifeanyi said, “The new AMSLN leadership is determined to promote industrial harmony. Our pleas here are predicated on the interest of the rule of law and avoidance of schism in the governance and regulatory mandate of the MLSCN. 

“However, if this untoward situation is not redressed now, AMLSN will be unable to guarantee the availability of quality medical laboratory testing in Nigeria, both in private and public. We call on all our members to remain calm but be on the alert for the next line of action.”

According to him, Section 3 (1) (a) of the law, Act CAP (M25) LFN 2004 (Act 11 of 2003), duly enacted by the National Assembly and signed by the then President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, defined clearly the qualifications of who can be appointed as the Chairman of the Board of the MLSCN. 

He said Salako does not fulfill the above credentials enunciated in Section 3, Subsection 1(a) of the Act CAP (M25) LFN 2004 (Act 11 of 2003). 

Ifeanyi also said the AMLSN was aware  that Salako’s purported appointment as Chairperson, Board of MLSCN was “not unconnected with his relationship with the Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, his classmate and close friend.”

He said, “Dr. Tunji Alausa is said to be a friend of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but this attempt by Dr. Alausa to appoint his friend, Dr. Salako at all costs as Chairperson of the MLSCN is a step capable of truncating all the good intentions of Mr. President in the health sector. 

“Foisting Dr. Salako on MLSCN and in a high position for which he lacks the qualifications or experience is a sure step towards destroying medical laboratory testing in Nigeria.

“Thus, we object and reject the attempt to impose an unqualified individual on the Council and invite all well-meaning citizens to condemn this gambit that would put Nigeria citizen’s lives at risk.”

Appeal to National Assembly 

“We call on the NASS to investigate the appointment of Dr. Babajide Salako as Chairman of the Governing Board of MLSCN. The message conveyed by the purported appointment is simply that laws made by the legislature and duly signed by the President can be disobeyed by highly placed government officials only to achieve private goals. 

Appeal To AGF & Minister of Justice 

“Accordingly, we are calling on the Attorney-General of the Federation to guide the Presidency, the Coordinating Minister of Health, and his subordinate, Dr. Alausa. Imposing an unqualified individual as Chairperson of the Medical Laboratory Science Council will plunge the sector into murky waters of controversy and catastrophe. 

Appeal To Tinubu 

“We call on Mr. President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a democrat per excellence, and the Presidency to urgently take recourse to the relevant sections of the Act Cap (M25) LFN 2004 (Act 11 of 2003) as referenced above and correct itself so as not to be seen to be deliberately undermining the law. 

“We appeal to Mr. President and hence the Presidency to immediately retract the announcement of Dr. Babajide Salako as a purported Chairperson Board of MLSCN without any attempt to inaugurate him. 

“Thereafter, the President is requested to investigate the circumstances that led to this violation of the law and apply appropriate sanctions against those responsible for embarrassing the Presidency and government. We hope that the above-listed steps and pleas will be acted upon to avert any further action of the Association in seeking redress.”

Friday Olokor, Abuja

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