The management of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) Teaching Hospital has declared that individuals involved in the illegal sale of employment opportunities at the institution will face prosecution, following the discovery of an alleged employment racketeering scheme uncovered during the ongoing staff verification and transition to the Federal Government payroll system.
The hospital disclosed that preliminary investigations revealed that some individuals had been fraudulently selling appointment letters and promising unsuspecting members of the public access to jobs within the institution, despite having no authority to recruit workers on behalf of the hospital. Management described the activities as criminal and warned that those responsible would be brought to justice.
The development comes amid the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) biometric capture exercise, which is designed to integrate eligible staff into the Federal Government payroll following the institution’s transition to a federal teaching hospital. Hospital authorities stressed that the verification exercise is being conducted strictly according to government regulations and under the supervision of authorised officials.
Management also dismissed allegations that the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Olusegun Ojo, authorised selective biometric capturing to favour certain individuals. According to the hospital, the accusations are false and intended to damage the reputation of both the Chief Medical Director and the institution during a critical transition period.
The hospital explained that the only recognised biometric verification exercise is the one officially coordinated by the IPPIS Directorate and carried out in accordance with Federal Government procedures. It maintained that no unofficial exercise has been approved and cautioned workers against relying on information from unauthorised sources.
According to the management, only employees whose appointments followed due process and satisfy government requirements will be successfully integrated into the federal payroll. It noted that verification remains an essential step toward obtaining the institution’s approved establishment from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The hospital urged prospective job seekers to ignore anyone demanding money or promising employment, insisting that recruitment into the institution is conducted only through officially approved procedures. It warned that paying money to individuals claiming to offer employment opportunities exposes applicants to fraud and possible financial loss.
Management further appealed to members of staff and the public to remain calm throughout the transition process, assuring them that legitimate concerns relating to staff verification and payroll integration would be addressed through the appropriate government channels.
The Chief Medical Director reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to transparency, accountability and fairness, describing accurate personnel documentation as critical to effective workforce management and the long-term development of the teaching hospital. He also appealed for patience and cooperation from workers while the verification exercise continues.
The management added that the successful completion of the IPPIS exercise will strengthen the hospital’s administrative structure and support its mandate of delivering quality healthcare, medical education and research under the Federal Government. It reiterated that anyone found participating in employment racketeering or other fraudulent recruitment activities would face appropriate legal action.
