Organised labour in Ondo State has launched an indefinite picketing of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH/FUTATH), accusing the hospital’s management of breaching a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), suppressing workers’ rights and secretly enrolling individuals into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) outside the agreed framework.
The decision followed an emergency meeting held on Thursday, July 2, 2026, between the Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Health, Prof. Simidele Odimayo, and the leadership of organised labour in the state over the lingering controversy surrounding the non-capturing of inherited workers into the federal payroll system.
The meeting brought together key labour leaders, including the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ondo State, Comrade Clement Fatuase; Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ademola Adeniji Olapade; Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) and Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Comrade Oluwasegun Ajiboye, alongside representatives of several professional and health sector unions.
Also in attendance were the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, Dr. Gbelela; representatives of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), and other affiliate bodies.
In a strongly worded joint communiqué issued after exhaustive deliberations, organised labour unanimously rejected appeals made by the Special Adviser to the Governor, insisting that the concerns raised by workers remained unresolved and required immediate action.
The unions accused the Chief Medical Director of UNIMEDTH/FUTATH, Prof. Sylvester Ojo, of allegedly violating the Memorandum of Understanding executed between the Federal Government and the Ondo State Government by abandoning the attached nominal roll and selectively capturing inherited workers into the IPPIS platform.
According to the labour leaders, the selective enrolment process runs contrary to the implementation framework previously agreed upon by all stakeholders and threatens the job security and welfare of legitimately inherited staff members.
The communiqué further alleged that some workers who participated in the IPPIS capturing exercise were compelled to sign undertakings renouncing their membership of trade unions before being enrolled into the payroll system.
Organised labour described the alleged action as an unacceptable infringement on workers’ constitutional and statutory rights to freedom of association, warning that any attempt to weaken union structures or intimidate workers would be firmly resisted.
The labour bodies also raised alarm over what they described as credible reports indicating that certain individuals who were allegedly not bona fide staff members of the teaching hospital were secretly captured into the IPPIS platform within the hospital premises on the night of Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
They argued that the alleged secret exercise compromised the transparency, integrity and credibility of the entire payroll transition process and demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.
In addition, the unions accused the Chief Medical Director of resorting to intimidation, harassment and threats of arrest against labour leaders and union officials in what they described as a deliberate attempt to suppress legitimate trade union activities and silence dissenting voices.
Following extensive discussions, organised labour resolved that the alleged actions of the hospital management constituted a fundamental breach of the Memorandum of Understanding and the mutually agreed implementation framework governing the transition process between the state-owned institution and federal authorities.
Consequently, the labour movement declared an indefinite picketing of UNIMEDTH/FUTATH with effect from Thursday, July 2, 2026, insisting that the industrial action would remain in force until every legitimately inherited worker is captured into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System in strict compliance with the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding.
The unions further resolved to utilise every lawful industrial relations mechanism available under Nigerian law to defend the rights, welfare and job security of affected workers, stressing that they would not relent until justice is achieved.
They also called on the Ondo State Government to intervene decisively and ensure full compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding in order to restore industrial harmony and prevent further escalation of the crisis within the teaching hospital.
Reaffirming their position, the labour organisations declared their unwavering commitment to justice, equity, due process, the rule of law and the protection of the dignity and legitimate rights of workers.
The communiqué was jointly signed by Comrade Clement Fatuase, Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ondo State; Comrade Ademola Adeniji Olapade, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ondo State; and Comrade Oluwasegun Ajiboye, Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Ondo State.