- Holding Public Office After 60
- Financial Misappropriations
From Obadimu Veron
The Chief
Medical Director (CMD) of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos
State, Dr. Oluwayemi Cecelia Ogun is presently in financial misappropriation and
retirement mess. Mrs. Ogun is alleged to have refused to vacate her office as
the CMD despite clocking the mandatory retirement age of 60 years since
September 23, 2019 even as she’s said to be diverting millions of naira meant
for other purposes into her private use.
This act contravenes and is in deviance to the Public Service Rules (PSR)
0202810 of Chapter two (2) in relations to retirement, which states, “The
Compulsory retirement age for all grades in the service shall be 60 years or 35
years of Pensionable service whichever is earlier, and no officer shall be
allowed to remain in service after attaining the retirement age of 60 years”.
In our investigation a reliable source who pleaded anonymity confirmed to us
that the process for the appointment of a Medical Director of the
Neuropsychiatric hospital Yaba in 2017, was skewed to favour the appointment of
Dr. Ogun, owing to her affinity with the immediate past minister of health Dr
Isaac Adewole, who disregarded the rules as advertised which prescribed the
eligibility criteria of not being above the age of Fifty Five Years (55) as at
the time of applying for the position of Medical Director as opposed to the
regular standard obtainable for the appointment of medical directors across
board for other Federal Medical Institutions in Nigeria.
From information gathered, her appointment specifically violated the 6th
requirement for the position as advertised at the time that “candidate must not
be more than fifty five (55) years of age, as Dr. Ogun was already 58 years old
when she was appointed ( find attached Publication and nominal Roll)
Notwithstanding the curious circumstance of her now elapsed appointment, the
investigators also gathered that the CMD who clocked 60 on 23rd September, has
refused to proceed on terminal leave, as required by law and has now resorted
to lobbying high level officers of the Ministry of Health, to extend her
tenure, by referring to an already suspended circular by Mr. President on
tenureship which is an affront to the anti-corruption agenda of the Federal
Government.
It has also generated bad blood amongst her colleagues who are of the view that
the intent to elongate her elapsed tenure is vile considering the manner she
vigorously fought her predecessor who allegedly attempted to extend tenure
illegally.
However a petition has been written against her by the JOINT HEALTH SECTOR
UNION for gross abuse of office and corruption.
In the petition sighted by our Investigators, dated ,e, she was accused by
staff members amongst others of outsourcing the account department without
going through the necessary procedures, which is strongly against the Financial
regulation of the establishment.
It was gathered that she was also once invited by police force headquarters CID
Alagbon, Lagos to answer for allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
It was also noted that in 2018, she singlehandedly bought a vehicle worth
N40million with funds meant for another purpose despite having two functional
official vehicles.
Our source also hinted us that she bought a personal Camry car worth N26million
which was packed in front of her quarters.
Similarly, she was accused of having sacked all hospital contractors and
suppliers, awarded contracts to her relatives at exorbitant prices far above
the amount previous contractors charged, according to the petition. Most of the
companies used for the hospital contract owned by her husband and cronies.
All efforts to contact her as at press time proved abortive.