FG intervenes to avert strike, restore services at Futa Teaching Hospital, Ondo

By Dayo Johnson Akure

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has intervened in the industrial dispute at the Federal University of Technology Teaching Hospital, FUTATH, Akure, by inviting organised labour to a high-level meeting aimed at restoring industrial harmony.

The intervention comes after the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, in Ondo State issued a seven-day strike ultimatum to the hospital management over alleged breach of the transition agreement and violations of workers’ rights.

In a letter jointly signed by Ondo State NLC Chairman, Comrade Prince Ademola Olapade, and TUC Chairman, Comrade Clement Fatuase, and addressed to the Chief Medical Director, CMD, Prof. Olusegun Ojo, labour accused management of violating the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, governing the transition of the former State Specialist Hospital to FUTATH.

The unions said the ultimatum followed resolutions reached at a strategic meeting of organised labour and health sector unions in FUTATH on July 16, warning that the alleged actions threaten industrial peace.

In a swift response, the Ministry, through Deputy Director, RLDO, Mr. Festus Igbinosun, notified the TUC Chairman that a delegation would visit the hospital on Friday, July 24, 2026 to address issues surrounding the disruption of services and other matters affecting the hospital’s operations.

The meeting is scheduled to hold at the Boardroom of FUTATH. It follows a report submitted by the hospital management to the Ministry on recurring industrial actions.

According to the letter, the intervention comes shortly after the Federal Government completed the transition programme for the former UNIMED Teaching Hospital, Akure, now FUTATH.

The Ministry said the transition culminated in the biometric capture of all eligible staff selected into the approved Nominal Roll, in line with the MoU signed between the Ondo State Government and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on Oct. 23, 2025.

Recall that staff absorption was conducted under Article 5 (5.1.3) of the MoU, which stipulates that only eligible officers of the old hospital would be absorbed into the Federal Civil Service.

Also, an inter-ministerial verification exercise was carried out between Dec. 8 and Dec. 12, 2025 by officials from the Ministries of Health and Finance, the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

The list of eligible officers was further scrutinised based on age, qualifications, service records, the approved structure for Federal Teaching Hospitals, and the prescribed clinical-to-non-clinical staff ratio.

The Ministry said 265 members of staff of the former hospital were found ineligible for absorption and have been recommended to the Ondo State Government for redeployment into the State Civil Service.

To conclude the process, biometric capture for payroll enrolment under the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, was conducted in Akure between June 8 you and June 13, 2026.

A mop-up exercise was held in Abuja from July 9 to July 13, 2026 for officers who missed the earlier exercise.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, commended the Ondo State Government and the people of the state for their cooperation, describing the successful takeover as a product of mutual understanding and collaboration.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the state have expressed optimism that the engagement with organised labour would resolve outstanding issues and strengthen industrial peace, enabling the hospital to focus on healthcare delivery, teaching and research.

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