MMA

The suspended Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, (NMA) Kogi State branch, Dr Baoku Olusola and three EXCO members have been impeached from office.

Their impeachment was contained in a report adopted on Saturday by members of the association during the ongoing 2024 NMA Kogi Annual General Meeting holding in Lokoja.

The impeached NMA chairman, Dr Baoku Olusola, and three other EXCO members were accused of gross-misconduct and abuse of office.

Presenting the report, the Chairman, Kogi State NMA Disciplinary Committee, Dr Austin Ojotule, said, “The State Disciplinary Committee observed refusal of the suspended Chairman, Treasurer, Director of Social welfare and the financial secretary to defend themselves despite ample opportunity given to them.

“It is a gross abuse of privilege accorded them and acceptance of guilt of all allegations levelled against them.

“The State Disciplinary Committee also observed the failure of the Chairman, Dr Baoku Olusola, to convene a State Executive Committee, (SEC) meeting in the last 6 months is a violation of the bye-law.

“The Chairman unilaterally petitioned members of the association Chief Medical Director MD and CMAC of Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja, (FTHL) to the law enforcement agency without exhausting internal mechanism for crisis resolution.

“The Chairman unilaterally engaged a lawyer in the name of the Association in a petition he wrote against the CMD FTHL to the Hon. Minister of Health without approval from SOC/SEC.

“The Abuja NMA NEC directive to resolve the crisis in the State was not obeyed by the suspended Chairman, Dr Baoku Olusola. The committee did not have access to the Association’s account to determine the suspended Chairman and other EXco’s dealing with the account because the account has been frozen.”

The Kogi State NMA Disciplinary Committee in its report recommended the impeachment of the suspended chairman and the three other suspended EXCO members with effect from the date they were suspended.

“This is in accordance with Article 5 section 4a (ii) of NMA Constitution. We are also recommending an audit committee be set up to audit the account by the incoming EXCO,” the committee said.

DAILY POST gathered that 72 members of NMA Kogi branch voted for the impeachment of Dr Baoku Olusola and the three other EXCO members in the state during a voting session with 80 medical doctors in attendance.