Staff of the University of Jos Teaching Hospital (JUTH) on Friday rolled out their drums in jubilation and celebrating the exit of the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Professor Edmond Banwat.
Banwat held sway as CMD for 8 years, a period many described as dreadful and horrific owing to his alleged high handedness.
While monitoring activities in the hospital through out the week culminating in the handing over to Prof. Pokop Bupwatda on Friday as Ag. CMD pending the appointment of substantive one.
In a brief statement during the handover ceremony, the outgone CMD said, “Today (30/12/2021) marks the end of my tenure as Chief Medical Director of Jos University Teaching Hospital.
“Further to this, the Hon. Minister of Health has approved the appointment of Dr Pokop Wushipba Bupwatda as the acting CMD pending the appointment of a substantive CMD.
“I have today handed over to the Ag CMD. This is to immeasurably, thank you all for the prayers and support in several ways throughout my tenure.
“May I enjoin you to please extend a double portion of this support to the Ag. CMD to enable him succeed pending the appointment of a substantive CMD”.
After the handing over, some members of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) in the Institution took to the premises of hospital jubilating holding placard with negative inscriptions.
A staff who spoke to our reporters on condition of anonymity said that Prof. Banwat’s tenure as CMD could be likened to the 400 years of slavery of children of Israel in Egypt and that his exit has equally brought relief to them just as it was when children of Israel left Egypt to the promised land. “I am 56 years old and in my entire life, I have never seen a person so mean like the outgone CMD.
“He was heartless and had no emotion. As a matter of fact, he is a sadist because he enjoys seeing other people suffer.
“I have never seen a man with a heart of stone like Prof. Bwanwat”.
A lady who equally wouldn’t want her name disclosed said, “I pray that Prof Banwat sincerely seeks for forgiveness from God.
“I have never seen a person who has no regard for humanity as Prof. Banwat. I really pray that he makes things right with his creator today.
“His days in JUTH as CMD remained the darkest in the history of the Institution”, she said.
In his submission, the Chairman Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU) JUTH branch, Comrade Ebuga Adams said that the exit of Prof. Banwat called for celebration as it marked the end of a tenure of a tyrant stressing that in the history of JUTH, it was during the tenure of Prof. Banwat that the hospital was neglected and the staff made to suffer the worse form of human degradation. “So, for us in JOHESU and the entire JUTH community, today is a day of thanksgiving and jubilation.
“We are celebrating the exit of a tyrant. A tyrant has finished his tyrannic tenure and is going for good. His tenure so far is the darkest in the history of JUTH.
“It was during the tenure of Prof. Banwat that we had the highest number of staff mortality, it was during his tenure that staff stayed without light in their offices for two months, it was during his tenure that staff were tear gassed and humiliated, it was during his tenure that cleaners in the hospital are owed 30 months salary in arrears, his regime is also the only regime with the highest number of court cases, (both with individuals and staff). It might interest you to know that JUTH spends not less than N2.5million each time the lawyer appeared in court.
“And just last month (November), he paid N7.5million to a lawyer, meanwhile, some staff haven’t been paid their salaries for 30 months.
“It was during his tenure that the hospital had the highest number of referral cases due to incessant strikes, it was during his tenure that the hospital had no consumables.
So, his exit today calls for celebration and we have rolled out the drums purposely for this reason”, he said.
All efforts to elicit response from Prof. Banwat proved abortive as he neither responded to our phone call nor text message. However, speaking to African Drum, the AG. CMD, Prof. Pokop Bupwatda described Prof. Banwat as a wonderful person who has been greatly misunderstood. According to Bupwatda, Banwat as CMD performed credibly well stressing that his performance cannot be appreciated except one decides to visit other tertiary Institutions in the country. “Banwat is a wonderful man because he listens. He is also very hardworking and we had a cordial working relationship. He is somebody that has worked all these years in JUTH and gone through the ranks and acquired a lot of experience.
“From Head of Department he became Deputy CMAG to CMAG and Ag. CMD to CMD. So, he has acquired a lot of experiences owing to the challenges in the hospital.
“He did very well in stabilizing issues. People would not appreciate what he has done until you go to other hospitals before you appreciate him.
“Since I joined him four years ago, there has never been a local strike in JUTH and it was as a result of the cordial working relationship with the staff and that also shows that he is a listening leader”.
He enumerated some of the achievements of the Banwat led administration to include, completion and commissioning of Amenity Complex despite the lean resources. According to the Ag. CMD, other ongoing projects initiated by the former CMD include the Psychiatrist building, the Pharmacy store, the MDRGB and the Medical Biology Laboratory building.
Bupwatda said that Banwat made efforts and ensured that all other medicine Laboratries were moved to the Permanent site. He added that another significant achievement by the Banwat led administration is the IVF Centre which has produced many babies. “As you know, it’s private hospitals that have been doing that but this is one of the government hospitals where you can have it and it’s cheaper compare to private hospitals.
“By the Grace of God, I think we have delivered up to six or more babies and families are happy. So, we thank God for the life of Prof Banwat and all that he has done, the opportunity God gave him to serve JUTH as CMD. We wish well in his future endeavors”, Prof. Bupwatda said.
Culled from African Drum