Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is to recall the sacked Permanent Secretary in the State Hospitals Management Board, Dr Ofure Eboreime and the Chief Medical Director of the Central Hospital, Benin City, Dr Edith Kayode-Iyasere, as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Uyi Igbe has pleaded for them.
The duo were relieved of their appointment, last week, by Governor Adams Oshiomhole for their role in engaging casual workers in the Central Hospital.
Rt Hon Uyi Igbe who led the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Hon Philip Shaibu, Hon Elizabeth Ativie and Hon Folly Ogedengbe to the Governor’s office to plead for the sacked doctors begged the Governor to temper justice with mercy.
He said: “We are here, the leadership of EDHA, to see you concerning Dr. Ofure Eboreime, the Permanent Secretary, Hospital Management Board and Dr. Mrs. Edith Iyasere, Chief Medical Director, HMB.
“The House Standing Committee on Health one time went to the Hospital and did oversight functions there and we found that Dr Eboreime is somebody who is very competent and capable.
“We are here to appeal to you sir to on compassionate grounds to temper justice with mercy and recall these two persons, Dr. O. Eboreime and Dr. Mrs. Edith Iyasere.
He said, “We know that normally, you will not compromise on standards. We appreciate that because that is the reason Edo State has move to the position it is today.
He said, “Sir, I am sure, every now and then, people make mistakes and I am sure this is one of the mistakes that people make and I ask on their behalf that you please forgive them”.
Hon Folly Ogedegbe representing Owan East who also joined his voice in appealing to the Comrade Governor to temper justice with mercy and recall the duo said, “Even then as NLC President, we know your stand on casualisation, you fought against casualisation of workers and I can imagine how embarrassed you were when you got to know that there were casual workers in the state service where you have long given directives that it should not be.
“So on behalf of my own constituency, Owan East and the good people there, I want to appeal to you to please temper justice with mercy and forgive Dr. Ofure Ebeoreime and his colleague, Dr. Mrs. Edith Iyasere, the Chief Medical Director and recall them to work.
Responding, Governor Oshiomhole said, “As a parliament that is representative of the people, one that has its ears to the ground and one that is committed to the electorate. I know that when we take decisions, we do receive pressure but let me explain the reason why I took the decision.
“I am very privileged to be here and I myself am an employee and all my life, what I have done for a living is to defend workers.
“When we talk of workers, not just junior workers but we make a representation for the big and for the small and for the anonymous. I do not take any joy, in fact, it is always a sad moment for me when I take a decision to relieve anybody of his or her job.
Comrade Oshiomhole said: “Someone drew my attention to the fact that casual workers were protesting over non-payment of their salaries and that they have not been paid for several months.
“This was shocking to me because, difficult as our finances are and in spite of the fact that many other state governments are in default in the payment of salaries, some three months, some four months, I insisted that in Edo State, the pay day is sacrosanct. Workers are entitled as a right to their wages.
“So to hear that some workers are protesting for not been paid for up to six month is shocking.”
Oshiomhole said he was concerned that despite series of directives to management of the Hospital Management Board to normalize all casuals, they still maintained the services of casual workers.
He however assured the leadership of Edo State House of Assembly that as a responsible parliament, he will not fail to heed to their plea and urged them to bring the affected persons to his office on Monday, the 10th of November, 2014 to explain the rationale behind their actions and properly apologize to the people of Edo State after which they may be recalled.
