A group of stakeholders in the health sector have voiced their disapproval over the recent appointment of the registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The stakeholders argue that this appointment contradicts the provisions of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap M8 LFN 2004.
Last week, President Tinubu approved the appointment and reappointment of board chairpersons and chief executive officers under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. However, some stakeholders in the health sector have reacted to this development, stating that the appointment of the registrar by the President is unconstitutional.
The spokesperson for the stakeholders, Kolade Ogunbiyi, issued a statement on Monday, asserting that Section 6(1) of the Act vests the authority to appoint a registrar for the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in the council, not the President. In the statement, which was made available to Prime 9ja Online, Ogunbiyi called on President Tinubu to reverse his decision.
He said: “Our attention has been drawn to the President’s approval for leadership appointments in the health sector, including the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. While applauding the appointment of a Chairman for the Council, an appointment that had been due since November 2022, we wish to point out that the appointment of the Registrar by the President is at variance with the provisions of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap M8 LFN 2004. Section 6(1) of the Act vests the authority to appoint a registrar for the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in the Council."
Ogunbiyi further criticised the tendency of ministers to violate the provisions of Section 4 and usurp the statutory independence of the Council to appoint registrars, arguing that this undermines the regulatory independence of the medical and dental professions.
He concluded by calling on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to halt this violation of the laws of the Federation of Nigeria.