By Ademola Adeleke
Aftermath of the controversial fumigation of the premises of the College of Health Sciences, Ijero Ekiti which led to the hospitalization of about 100 students of the school and suspension of the Provost, Dr Cecilia Adebayo, Ekiti state government has said it would review and redefine protocols of engagement with federal institutions.
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, stated this while receiving the report from the Panel of Investigation set up to look into the causes of the unfortunate incident, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode.
The Governor, according to the statement, frowned at a situation where the Federal Fire Service embarked on a fumigation exercise at a state institution without recourse to the State Fire Service, a development that led to a health hazard which affected no fewer than 100 students of the college.
Dr Fayemi said, “For us, its more about lessons to be learnt from this unfortunate development, it also speaks to the relationship between the state and federal institutions generally, not just the Federal Fire Service, because, if a federal institution can just walk into the state without informing our fire service in the state, then engages an institution of state without recourse to state body at the centre, then it’s a problematic situation that we have found ourselves in and which we must develop a protocol that will define and determine how we engage external institutions. Even if with the best of intention, they want to come and help us in the state, we must have an established protocol that defines how that should go.”
While expressing the appreciation of government to members of the committee, the Governor assured them that he would subject the report to wider review both in terms of the roles of governing council and the management of the College itself as well as the management of the students’ affairs and the relationship between security agencies and various institutions that may found themselves in the unfortunate setting in future.
He further reassured the people of the state that government would strictly respond to the recommendations of the report with the hope that the report has insight into steps to be taken beyond suspension of the Provost to ensure that the ugly incident does not repeat itself in the state.
“I must on behalf of all of us, government and the people thank you for undertaking this assignment within the shortest possible time.”, the Governoe added.
The Panel Chairman who is also the State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani, noted that the recommendations were around three major areas including management of the institution which shows lapses around the administrative structures and processes; security interms of porous environment and need for the security agencies to effectively play their roles around the institution to mitigate this kind of situation in future as well as the role played by the Federal Fire Service.
Dr Filani expressed the appreciation of members of the panel for the opportunity to serve as well as their desires that the report would go a long way to assist government take more decisive action on the matter thereby correcting a re-occurrence of such situation in the state.
Other members of the panel are, Dr (Mrs) Olabimpe Aderiye, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology; Princess Iyabo Fakunle-Okhiemen, Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources; Prof Bolaji Aluko, Director General, Office of Transformation and Service Delivery (OTSD); Mr. Samuel Omoniyi, Director, State Fire Services; Prof Isola Olomola; Chief (Mrs) Dupe Ogundipe; Mr Isaac Ajayi, Director Special Duties, Cabinet Office (Secretary).
