The Chief Medical Director of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Professor John Okeniyi, has announced plans to remove beds from several offices in the hospital to curb sexual harassment.
He made this statement while addressing newsmen at the hospital complex, marking his one-year administration.
Professor Okeniyi emphasized that the presence of beds in offices, especially during night shifts, could encourage inappropriate behavior. To prevent this, he vowed to personally oversee the removal of these beds.
He explained, “Having beds in offices could provoke sexual harassment. From now, I will personally supervise the removal of beds from offices. The night shift is not meant for sleeping but for people to do their job and leave.”
The hospital has also implemented strict anti-sexual harassment laws, which Professor Okeniyi warned would be strictly enforced. “The laws are clear, which we have brought to the fore for the notice of the people, ‘thou shall not sexually harass.’ So ignorance can no longer be a defence,” he said. “If anybody does that, we will punish him and will not sweep it under the carpet.”
He further stated that once punishments start being issued, offenders would be publicly shamed. “There will be a wall of shame on the Internet for it. It will be there for your friends, children, and spouse to see forever.”
Professor Okeniyi also addressed the issue of dismissed workers, stating that some individuals had been illegally recruited into the system. “We have conducted a suitability test for the required candidates, and out of the 450 the Federal Ministry of Health gave us a waiver to recruit, we have properly employed 390 persons,” he added.
He encouraged staff to report cases of sexual harassment, assuring them that action would be taken. “Now they know that if they talk, there is a listening ear and action would be taken,” he said.
