The Nigeria Medical Association in Kogi State has removed its suspended chairman, Dr. Baoku Olusola, and three other members of the executive council.
This decision was made at the 2024 NMA Kogi Annual General Meeting in Lokoja on Saturday.
Dr. Olusola, along with the treasurer, director of social welfare, and financial secretary, was accused of gross misconduct and abuse of office.
The Chairman of the Kogi State NMA Disciplinary Committee, Dr. Austin Ojotule, presented the report on the situation. “The State Disciplinary Committee observed that the suspended chairman, treasurer, director of social welfare, and financial secretary did not defend themselves despite having ample opportunity. This is a gross abuse of their positions and an acceptance of the allegations against them,” Ojotule said.
He added that Dr. Olusola failed to convene a State Executive Committee meeting in the past six months, which is against the association’s bylaws. “The chairman also petitioned the Chief Medical Director, MD, and CMAC of Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja to law enforcement without using the internal mechanisms for crisis resolution,” Ojotule explained.
The report also mentioned that Dr. Olusola engaged a lawyer on behalf of the association without proper approval, and ignored directives from the Abuja NMA National Executive Council to resolve the crisis. “We could not access the association’s account to review the financial dealings of the suspended executives because the account is frozen,” he said.
Ojotule recommended the impeachment of Dr. Olusola and the three other executives, effective from the date of their suspension. “This is in line with Article 5 Section 4a (ii) of the NMA Constitution. We also recommend setting up an audit committee to review the account by the incoming executive committee,” he added.
