The Federal Government has approved a take-off staff strength of 1,200 personnel for the Federal University of Technology Akure Teaching Hospital (FUTATH), marking a significant step in the institution’s transition to a fully fledged federal teaching hospital.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Olusegun Ojo, announced the approval during a press briefing in Akure on Monday. He said the hospital was working to place the approved personnel on the Federal Government payroll by the end of August.
According to Ojo, the approval followed months of screening and verification of workers from the former University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during the hospital’s transfer to the Federal Government.
He said a 10-member panel comprising officials from the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation conducted the verification exercise between 8 and 12 December 2025.
The panel assessed workers’ qualifications, biodata and suitability for appointment into the Federal Civil Service.
Ojo said the panel’s recommendations were subsequently reviewed by the Office of Organisation Design and Development before the approved establishment of 1,200 personnel was forwarded to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) for enrolment and salary processing.
He disclosed that more than 800 workers were enrolled during the first phase of the IPPIS exercise in June, while a mop-up exercise was conducted in Abuja on 9 July for employees who were unable to participate because of communication challenges and other issues.
“I had hoped that everyone would be captured during the June exercise so salaries could commence by the end of July. Unfortunately, that was not possible because many staff still required capture. Now that the mop-up has been completed, we are working towards commencing payment by the end of August,” Ojo said.
He added that management was reconciling records with the IPPIS to ensure all approved personnel were captured before payroll processing, noting that the Ondo State Government had continued to pay workers’ salaries pending the hospital’s full transition to the Federal Government payroll.
Commenting on recent protests by some workers and labour unions, Ojo attributed the demonstrations to what he described as misinformation about the provisions of the MoU.
He said the agreement did not guarantee the automatic absorption of all existing employees into the federal establishment.
“The MoU clearly states that only those found suitable would be selected. That is exactly what we have done with diligence and fairness. Some people were wrongly informed that everyone would automatically be absorbed into the new hospital, and that is completely untrue,” he said.
The CMD also criticised the disruption of hospital services during the protests, saying healthcare facilities should remain peaceful environments because of the essential services they provide.
“It is disappointing that educated people would disrupt the peace of a hospital. If there are concerns about the leadership, there are established channels for addressing them. Hospitals care for cancer patients, people with severe infections and patients awaiting surgery,” he said.
Ojo further disclosed that the hospital had received complaints about alleged job racketeering involving fake employment letters issued before he assumed office.
He said management was compiling evidence and would refer the matter to the appropriate authorities where necessary.
According to the CMD, although the approved staff strength of 1,200 remains below the hospital’s long-term manpower requirements, the institution has already attracted experienced doctors, surgeons and nurses from other teaching hospitals to strengthen clinical services.
He added that efforts were continuing to secure the hospital’s take-off grant, procure critical medical equipment and implement a five-year development plan for its permanent site.
