Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Benin, Edo state, has denied knowledge of an order by the Presidency, which allegedly directed the immediate reinstatement of 10 staff of the Hospital who were either dismissed or suspended over three years ago.
Recalled that the affected staff were accused by the management of the hospital of various offences of insubordination that warranted their suspension and dismissal and some prosecuted. They however denied the allegations while they were arraigned in the court.
It was gathered that the Presidency, in a letter allegedly addressed to the Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, directed that the affected officers be reinstated immediately and the prompt payment of their outstanding 2013 promotion arrears, arrears of relativity and their withheld salaries up to date.
But reacting to the alleged reinstatement order from the Precise check, the Public Relations Officer of the Hospital, Efe Stewart, denied knowledge of the order.
This is even as he expressed doubt over the possibility of the reinstatement order, alleging that “there is a plethora of criminal cases against them in court.”
“These people who claimed to have been reinstated, there is a plethora of criminal cases against them in court. So how is it (reinstatement) possible? In my hospital, as far as I am concerned, I have not been briefed about that issue.
“These are facing criminal trials and the case they alleged that they won in court, we have appealed against that judgement and that was the case concerning theft of public records. Only two persons were suspended from the hospital in respect of that case.
“Every other person was dismissed from the service. It had no connection with the case which they claimed to have won in court. So, the issue of reinstatement does not come in,” Stewart said.