No fewer than 900 health workers in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, may lose their jobs.
This is because the FCT Administration, FCTA, has given the managers of the Garki Hospital a month’s notice to vacate the facility.
This move by the government was as a result of the expiration of the Public-Private Partnership, PPP, arrangement between the NISA Premier and current managers of Garki Hospital, and the FCTA.
The concession agreement for the PPP was signed between the NISA Premier and the FCTA in 2007 for a period of 15 years.
Further findings revealed that aside from the percentage given to the FCT Administration at the end of every year when the hospital management declares profit, NISA Premier has paid the total annual concession fees, rent on quarters and all other payments stipulated on the agreement to the tune of N406 million since the beginning of the agreement.
However, the FCT Administration, on March 1, this year, gave the hospital management notice to vacate and hand over the facility to it on April 1, 2022.
The Nation reports that over 900 workers, including 21 consultants, 113 medical doctors, 24 house officers, 159 nurses, 96 patient-care attendants, pharmacists, medical record officers, laboratory scientists, and other technicians, currently work at the hospital.
Some source who spoke with The Nation explained that after the agreement was signed, the FCT Administration removed all equipment in the then General Hospital. NISA Premier had to start equipping the hospital from scratch. Currently, all equipment in the hospital is owned by NISA Premier.
The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has, however, urged the FCT Administration to consider renewing the concession agreement between it and the hospital managers because of the sterling medical services the hospital has offered residents over the years.
Enema Amodu, the FCT chapter Chairman of the NMA, said: “Apart from the over 900 workers, there are patients that are on long term intensive care that will require suitable arrangements so that they continue to receive life-saving medications.”
Malam Abubakar Sani, the senior special assistant to the FCT Minister on Media and Strategic Communication, called for calm. According to him, there is no crisis between the FCT Administration and the management of NISA Premier.
