- Over 120 Staff Affected
By Prisca Ogbo
Delta State Government has stopped the salaries of 120 health workers at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DESUTH) in Oghara after it discovered they had exited the system to seek greener pastures abroad.
The discovery was made following an audit of the hospital’s workforce, as the affected workers were still receiving their salaries months after they had left the shores of the country.
The Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, disclosed this when he received in audience, the leaders of the Ijomi and Edjemouyan host communities in Oghara in his office.
According to him, the management of the hospital has cleared the outstanding bill of N100 million owed the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
The commissioner commended the communities for being good hosts to DELSUTH, Oghara, by providing a conducive environment for the institution to thrive.
He assured the people of the governor’s resolve to ensure that the dividends of democracy and campaign promises to the electorate were achieved and therefore called for cooperation and support from the communities.
Explaining efforts made so far to properly reposition the hospital to meet its mandate, Dr. Onojaeme said that its restructuring measures had brought positive changes to the hospital, adding that Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori has approved the procurement of a CT scan machine for the facility at the last Executive Council meeting.
On the various requests made by the host communities, such as adhering to the employment quota of non-clinical workers as contained in the MoU signed between them and the management of the hospital and the need for them to be carried along, among others, the Commissioner assured that they will be looked into with a view to addressing them.
Earlier, the Councillor representing Ward 12, Oghara, Hon. Eki Benson, who spoke on behalf of the host communities, commended the commissioner for the good work he is doing to ensure the teaching hospital takes its rightful place as it concerns healthcare delivery.
He assured the state government that as a friendly community, they will continue to ensure a cordial relationship exists with the hospital and requested they be carried along in order for them to be on the same page on issues that bother the progress of the hospital.
Hon. Benson added that the teaching hospital has experienced tremendous changes since the new management took over six months ago and warned the old management not to interfere with the operation of the hospital.
He used the medium to present requests that bother on employment quota, local contractors to be allowed to participate in local supplies, and provision of unskilled labour. The community representatives, including the youth chairmen of the two communities, used the medium to pass a vote of confidence on the commissioner for the progress so far recorded in the hospital and encouraged him not to relent, as they will continue to give him the necessary support.
