The hope of
about 30 graduates to gain jobs at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Kano, has
been dashed after they failed a mandatory drug test.
The
prospective employees who emerged from thousands of applicants had successfully
fulfilled various requirements and had been shortlisted until their samples
turned up positive.
It was
learnt that the affected, predominantly youths, were dropped from a 150-strong
list projected to fill manpower shortage at the only Federal Government-owned
orthopaedic hospital in the entire northern region.
A reliable
management source at the hospital confirmed the development, adding that some
of the applicants had the recommendation of persons at the presidency, top
political appointees, high-ranking members of the Federal Character Commission
and senior staff of the hospital.
Abubakar
Yakubu (not real name) who failed the test however accused the management of
deliberate attempt to trim the shortlisted candidates.
“How can
they refuse to give us letters of appointment after we have been shortlisted.
It is not fair, to say the least. We were not even told any tests, like drug
and others, would be conducted. They just asked us to submit our urine samples
and the next thing they said was, ‘No job again,’” he said.
But asked
whether he took any substance that affected a person’s mental state, Abubakar
replied angrily: “I wonder why anybody would be interested in my personal
affairs. How should that determine my job opportunity? Even if I am taking
drugs, is it not my personal matter? How is that the business of anybody? We
need this job and they cannot claim we are not qualified. So, they should,
please, give us the job.”
Another
candidate, who spoke to The Guardian on phone from Katsina, said: “I also
failed the test after paying a required N2,500 bill. I was informed, few weeks,
ago that our names had been shortlisted. After my credentials were screened,
they asked us to do a urine test. Unknown to many of us, it was a drug test.
Unfortunately, I failed. I want to appeal to the Federal Government to, please,
intervene. We need the job. We are tired of being in the labour market.”
Reacting,
director of administration at the hospital, Alhaji Audu Ibrahim, insisted only
20 applicants were rejected. He explained that while 15 failed the test
outright, five others were placed on probation.
He disclosed
that the hospital adopted the measure to prevent recurrence of a drug-related
problem in its workforce, adding that the management was still struggling to
cope with five members of staff who had already become psychiatric patients.
“The
management took the decision to conduct the drug and other medical tests to
prevent some ugly experiences in the hospital. Drug test is the most pertinent
and we take it very critically. But let me put it straight, they are 20 not 30.
“It is the
standard in civil service and the tests were not on drugs alone. The procedure
is that when you fail the drug test, you don’t even need to go for the rest,
that is HIV, tuberculosis, diabetes and others. We are doing this to reduce the
liability we already have. We don’t want to add to it.
“15 were
entirely positive and five were placed on probation because the outcome of the
test showed suspicion, and we know some conditions could warrant that,
especially in medical circumstances. So, we allowed them to start work on
probation for six months, after which another test would be conducted.”
He said the
management was considering a refund of the N2,500 paid by the applicants.
Meanwhile,
the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has announced it “shall withdraw the admission
of newly admitted students that test positive for drug use whenever the
university conducts the test, either before or after registration”.
The
institution made this known on its portal, saying it was part of requirements
for admission in the 2017/2018 session.
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