It is very unfortunate to read from a section of social media about the calculated attempts to malign and destroy the good reputation of the erudite Prof. ISAH Yahaya Adagiri, the Chief Medical Director of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, and his management team.
Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have engaged with people who are faceless and do not have the courage to come out openly to substantiate their claims. However, for the sake of setting the record straight and for posterity, we want to let the public know the following truths.
The spokesperson of the mischievous group levied several allegations, including extorting the public with exorbitant medical charges from patients. This is a pure lie that anyone who has visited the hospital can attest to, as the services of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital are among the cheapest among any tertiary health institution in Kogi State and even Nigeria as a whole. This is made possible through the pragmatic efforts of the state government in providing subsidies to the hospital for its operations.
It is laughable to hear that the hospital has become a shadow of itself, as presented by the enemies of progress, when the hospital still receives several referrals from other health institutions within Kogi State. Under Prof. Isah Yahaya Adagiri’s leadership, the hospital has been able to hire more staff including Doctors through securing approval from the State Government. It is also noteworthy that patient payments are processed electronically to ensure transparency. However, it is regrettable that a group of people who were identified for compromise, attempting to defraud the hospital, were tried by the Kogi State Civil Service Commission and sanctioned according to the State Civil Service Rule. Now, they recruit individuals to blackmail the hard-earned reputation of a distinguished Professor who has worked in several health institutions across the country and beyond, and has trained not less than 10 consultants.
It was also stated in the fictitious publication that the ICPC has extended an invitation to the CMD. While we may not want to delve into the matter since the investigation is ongoing, we wish to inform these individuals that the ICPC has the statutory power to invite any public officer, to which the management of the hospital under the leadership of Prof. Adagiri Isah Yahaya will oblige and cooperate due to his transparency and open policies.
Making reference to an auctioned vehicle is another way of making frivolous charges against the man who, through his administrative prowess, has transformed the history of the hospital from what it used to be in the past. Prof. Yahaya Isah Adagiri is a proud specialist in Chemical Pathology. The erudite professor can afford any of the cars he chooses to drive, but it must be stated that he can’t do anything on his own as he works under an authority. Hence, we want the public to know that these detractors are only bent on fighting back because of the strong stand of the CMD against corruption and their longstanding unethical practices within the hospital.
Accusing the CMD of high-handedness is expected because of his uncompromising stand against fraud and indiscipline. Recently, the management team took some drastic measures against some staff in the Revenue, Pharmacy, and other departments implicated in sabotaging the hospital’s finances, and a particular staff member was disciplined by the Civil Service Commission. Therefore, it is expected that all these allegations would surface.
We call on independent investigators and the press to pay an unscheduled visit to confirm the state of business of the hospital, as painted by the faceless group.
More so, calling on the State Government and His Excellency Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo to sack the Chief Medical Director and also pointing out that his tenure has elapsed shows how desperate these individuals are and the intentions behind their frivolous charges.
Prof. Isah Yahaya Adagiri is a man of national repute, and his track record earned him the appointment graciously offered by the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Alh Yahaya Adoza Bello. He will never do anything to tarnish that hard-earned reputation as he is committed to ensuring the sustainability of the progressive health program of His Excellency Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo.
We call on the good people of Kogi State and beyond to disregard whatever negative information they have been fed by these faceless individuals. We also call on various news platforms, especially online platforms, to uphold the ethics of journalism and shun every form of unprofessionalism by verifying their facts before publishing.
Signed,
Umar Samuel Onotu
Information Officer
Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja.