Medical Laboratory Scientists in the country have urged President Bola Tinubu to reverse his recent appointment of Babajide Salako as the chairman of the Board of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN).
The Medical Laboratory Scientists said the appointment breached the establishment law of MLSCN because Salako was neither a Fellow of the body nor a certified practitioner of medical laboratory science.
Under the aegis of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), the practitioners faulted the process that led to the appointment and requested President Tinubu to investigate the circumstances that led to the violation of the law and apply appropriate sanctions against those responsible for embarrassing the Presidency and the government.
The association also urged the National Assembly and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to wade into the issue and offer appropriate advice to the President on the necessity of reversing the appointment and replacing him with recourse to the law.
The (AMLSN) asserted that the dispensation of quality service in public and private medical laboratory facilities in the country can no longer be guaranteed if their plea was not heeded.
During a press conference on Monday, February 19, at the National headquarters of MLSCN in Abuja, the National President of AMSLN, Casmir Ifeanyi, emphasized that while outlining the ultimatum to the President, the leadership of the association is committed to fostering industrial harmony.
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He further stated that their appeals are based on upholding the rule of law and preventing division in the governance and regulatory responsibilities of the MLSCN, adding, “However, if this untoward situation is not redressed now, AMLSN will be unable to guarantee the availability of quality medical laboratory testing in Nigeria, both in private and public. We call on all our members to remain calm but on the alert for the next line of action”.
Quoting Section 3 (1)(a) of MLSCN establishment law, Act CAP (M25) LFN 2004 (Act 11 of 2003), Ifeanyi said, “3—(1) There is established for the Council a Governing Board (in this Act referred to as “the Board”) consisting of — (a) a chairman who shall be a qualified Fellow of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria with 5 years post qualification experience and shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister from a list of names of the Fellows submitted by the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientist of Nigeria (in this Act referred to as “the Association”).