The Federal Government has ordered the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Prof Anthony Emeribe, to vacate office “with immediate effect".
The directive was contained in a letter to Emeribe by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, dated Feb. 19, 2016.
As stated by the letter which was signed on behalf of the Minister by Dr Patience Oshinubi, the Head, Department of Hospital Services in the Ministry, Emeribe is to hand over to the most senior Director in the council.
The letter also stated that the position of the Registrar and CEO of the Council should be advertised.
“The Honourable Minister of Health has approved the advertisement of the post of the Registrar/CEO of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria.
“In view of the above, I am directed to inform you to hand over the administration of the council and of government property under your purview to the most senior Director in the council, with immediate effect.
“Please, accept the assurances of the Honourable Minister of Health’s best regards,” the letter read.
Meanwhile, Emeribe has acknowledged the receipt of the letter in a telephone interview with .
The professor, whose second term of four years as Registrar/CEO of the council ought to end in 2018, however, stated that the letter was “sub judice”.
He stated there were subsisting cases in court in respect of the advertisement of the position of the Registrar/CEO of the Council, awaiting judicial determination.
“The cases are in court. The issues that gave rise to that letter are all in court and the ministry knows that it is sub judice.
“The Ministry was misadvised into taken that decision because the ministry should know that you cannot take an action on a case that is in court," he stated.