The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kogi state chapter, has elected Dr Abubakar Alhassan as it new Chairman.
Dr Alhassan takes over from Dr Olusola Baoku who was impeached along side three other former exco members at the association 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lokoja on Saturday.
Other new exco members elected in Kogi NMA are: Dr Mohammed Umoru Farouq, Assistant Secretary; Dr Haruna Omeiza, Treasurer; Dr Samuel Ahi, Public Relations Officer; Dr Adewale Abolore, Auditor; Dr Nathaniel Peter, Director of Welfare; Dr Adaranijo Kola, Secretary; Dr Okungbowa Osaretin, Vice Chairman 1; and Dr Ochala Damusa, Vice Chairman 2.
In his acceptance speech, the newly elected Chairman of NMA in Kogi State promised to unite aggrieved members of the association.
He berated the immediate past Chairman, Dr Olusola Baoku for allegedly causing crisis in NMA adding that his administration will constitute a reconciliation committee to bring back aggrieved members.
“24 months ago, I midwifed an election that brought in the recently suspended EXCO. Despite a formidable opposition to the emergence of the leader of that EXCO, I stood my ground and rejected all entreaties to truncate the process, despite the obvious merit in that call.
“I took that action mainly on moral grounds. That decision that I I took then is solely responsible for the travails of the Kogi NMA that we all are witnessing today. It has never been this bad. All the gains and achievements of the previous administrations took a nosedive with the emergence of Baoku’s EXCO.
“As worrisome as his style of leadership was,even worrisome to me is the fact that all the blames for his inequities and escapades were mercilessly heaped on me. More worrisome still and, indeed nauseating, was the fact that even Dr Olusola Baoku the impeached Chairman decided to add me to long list of his traducers.
“The long trek to freedom has just begun. Having made tremendous sacrifices over the last couple of weeks, it will be most unwise to now soft-pedal and retreat . Your commitment to the cause of this association is needed now than ever before.
“This EXCO will, in the next two years, be saddled with the responsibility of rebuilding and revamping the association using dialogue and strategic engagement. To this end I call on those who have been negatively impacted by the whirlwind of our recovery efforts to retrace their steps and come back to the main stream for total recovery of the association. Let’s all sheathe our swords for I have come in peace.
“On our part, we are committed to all suggestions from colleagues, aimed at moving the association forward. A peace and reconciliation committee will be constituted within the next few days with the sole aim of bringing our aggrieved colleagues back to our fold.
“The biased position of the NOC is not in doubt. We shall be firm in our collective resolve to defend our bye law and our mandate There is no equivocation about that There’s no doubt that a number of colleagues have begun to lose interest in the association, no thank to the maladministration of the past two years We promise to rekindle your hope and interest.
“Financial transactions on our accounts have been shrouded in secrecy in the past two years. This Exco will deploy all options within the ambit of the law to do a forensic auditing of our account.
“A committee to this effect will be constituted soon. I find it pretty amazing, the suggestion of the NOC, that our account should be audited by the national. Even a fool already knows what the outcome of that exercise will be.
“This EXCO will take a critical look at the security of all our colleagues. To this end the committee on security which has been in limbo in the last two years will be strengthened again and, in synergy with our security operatives, improve our security, thus minimizing brain drain.
“We shall set up a committee to look into the issues of salary and other welfare needs of our colleagues who are in the employ of the State government. We shall use advocacy and dialogue to achieve our goal.
“All the issues agitating the minds of our colleagues at Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja (FTHL) will be critically examined and addressed within limits of possibility.
“This Exco will take a critical look at the bye law currently under review and do further amendment to ensure that no area of lacunae capable of being misinterpreted exists We Shall religiously be guided by the bye-law in all our transactions.” he stated.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman, Committee of Past Chairmen (CPC) of NMA in Kogi, Dr David Aimila disclosed that the association were compelled to call for an emergency Congress in view of the lingering crisis in the State.
According to him, “Since the inauguration of NMA Kogi State branch 32 years ago, this is the first time Congress was compelled to drag the CPC at the 11th hour to rescue the association and profession from the hands of misguided elements to midwife the transition to a new State Officers Committee, (SOC)”.
