The pledge by the management of Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti not only to constantly inundate its internal public with its programmes, strides, activities and decisions was redeemed again on the Tuesday,26th may, 2014 in an open forum.
Dr. Lawrence Majekodunmi Ayodele, The medical director who superintended the briefing welcomed and the thanked members of staff in attendance for honoring his short but timely invitation. He said his management decision to constantly communicate the thrust and objective rationale behind its policies, programmes and decisions is a practical measure designed to arrest the festering culture of rumour mongering and malicious distortion of fact by some disgruntled members of staff.
The Medical Director was unequivocal in deploring the baseless and malicious reactions that greeted the punishment recommended by the Centre’s sub-top management committee on discipline, which he graciously mitigated. He challenge members of staff in attendance to fault the objectivity of the punishment imposed on officers that were found guilty of willful breach of some provisions of the public service rule. He further said the punishment would have been worse if he had faithfully implemented the provisions of the public service rule. Members of the staff were afterward advise to eschew the pervasive culture of rumour mongering, character assassination and fact misrepresentation and impunity. Management according to him will no longer tolerate any fragrant breach of the public service rule.
The second issue raised the medical director in the course of the briefing is alleged refusal of management to pay the promotion arrears of members of staff that passed the 2013 promotion examination. Dr. Ayodele describe the rumour as another falsehood. He charged members of the staff to confirm the veracity of news or information they get before forming opinion on its basis. The federal government according to him has not release fund for the payment of 2013 promotion arrears.
The representatives of the unions whose members were affected by the top management committee’s disciplinary measure which agreed largely with the MDA’s verdict that rumour mongering and fact misrepresentation is rife in the centre. The unionist however said the strong misconception the measure generated is because of the number staffs affected. The union representatives pleaded with the medical to give committee’s disciplinary measure a second look.
The medical director in his response to the passionate plea by the presidents of Senior Staff Association and the Medical and Health Workers union appreciated their concern and commitment to protecting the interest of their members. He admonished the leaders of the unions to educate their members on the need to comport and conduct themselves in the manner envisaged by the spirit and letters of the public service rule. Members of staff according to him should as much as possible avoid PSR infractions like insubordination, stealing, lateness to work, fighting, corruption, absenteeism, wandering and rumour mongering to mention a few. The second open forum in the year 2014 ended with a resounding applause when the Medical Director announced the pardon of members of staff affected by the verdict of the Centre’s disciplinary committee.