UCH Management Threatens Interns for Demanding Salaries

The management of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, and Oyo state has threatened the Graduate medical professionals interning at the hospital with pay cuts and program extensions over their recent protest against delays and reductions in their salaries.

The Director of Pharmaceutical Services in the hospital; Professor Adeyinka Ishola, was recorded on tape intimidating the interns with an extension of their programme without pay because of their protests which went viral on many social media platforms.

In his words: “We are really disappointed in you. We even pet you but you went on social media and said very awful words,” he lamented. “Workers don’t behave like students and if you decide to behave as such, we will treat you as such.”

He continued: “For every action, there is a consequence and the consequence of this could be an extension of internship without pay and that would be mandatory. If the management says I should extend your internship, there is nothing you can do.”

“I don’t think where employees abuse employers… you ended painting us black. We are really disappointed in you and I am going to state in your recommendation letters that you are good but your set is rebellious. You are making it difficult for us to manage you. They gave you 50 percent you are getting angry when some are even begging outside to come in and earn that same half.”

He ended by saying: “The management has seen your tweets and if they give you queries, I will attach the queries to your recommendation letter and you go back to show your parents at home that you have become very rebellious for not subjecting yourselves to constituted authorities.”

Toye Akinrinlola, UCH’s Head of Information Unit, also insisted on having a physical meeting with our reporter before making comments on the issue.

Recall that the interns including dieticians, radiographers, pharmacists, nurses and physiotherapists of the hospital have been protesting for nearly three weeks against non-payment of their salaries and the resulting unfavorable conditions arising from such.


According to reports, interns in the hospital have been experiencing marginal pay cuts since January and have since then expressed their displeasure in a meeting with the University management, including the Chief Medical Director and the Director of Administration on May 4, but the meeting, according to them, was not fruitful.

“We were simply told that there has not been much money available since the federal government asked the hospitals to switch their mode from GIFMI to IPPIS,” one of them anonymously told FIJ.

With the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, the UCH staff, including interns, will be directly paid, unlike the Government Integrated Financial Management Information, which allows the management to pay them from the government’s reimbursement.

After their recent campaign on Thursday, the interns were surprisingly credited with their March and April outstanding salaries, although by at least a 50 percent cut.

“How come the same management that told us there was no money could pay us that same night our social media campaign went viral?” another intern asked.

“I can categorically say that none of us in the Nursing department has been captured for IPPIS but the last two payments reflected that our payment came through that means. The management’s attitude has shown that if we don’t tweet, they won’t pay. We also suspect some corruption on their part. Therefore, we have decided that until they pay the remainder on our slashed salaries, we won’t stop protesting”.

Professor Ishola did not respond to our call and SMS requests for his comments.