The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals, NUAHP, University College Hospital, Ibadan chapter, has commenced an indefinite strike over the alleged refusal of the hospital management to implement a recommendation by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare concerning the disciplinary case involving the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Dr Adeyinka Ishola.

The union announced the strike in a letter to its members, stating that the industrial action began on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, following the failure of several attempts to resolve the dispute.

The disagreement centres on the sale of a tricycle donated to the hospital’s Pharmacy Department and the disciplinary action subsequently taken against Ishola.

NUAHP Chairman, Oladayo Olabampe, said the union was demanding implementation of the ministry’s recommendation that Ishola be reprimanded and reinstated.

According to Olabampe, an initial investigation by the hospital had recommended Ishola’s suspension, with the matter subsequently forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

He said the ministry later constituted an independent investigative team, which reached a different conclusion.

“The ministry, in its wisdom, sent a team of investigators to UCH to conduct an independent investigation. The panel found Dr Ishola not guilty of any fraudulent act but only guilty of not carrying the management along in the sale of the tricycle,” he said.

He added that rather than approving the hospital’s recommendation for dismissal, the ministry directed that Ishola be reprimanded and reinstated.

The union accused UCH management of refusing to implement the directive despite the ministry being the hospital’s supervisory authority.

“We are, however, surprised that the UCH management is not pleased with this outcome and has, for months, refused to implement the verdict of its supervisory ministry,” Olabampe said.

The union chairman said NUAHP disagreed with the hospital management’s position that the ministry’s decision was not final.

Defending Ishola, he said the union did not consider the sale of the tricycle to be fraudulent.

“We hereby declare that Dr Adeyinka Ishola is not a thief, though he might have committed an administrative error by not carrying the management along. Since the ministry has decided that he be reprimanded, we stand by this decision,” he said.

Olabampe said the union had exhausted its attempts to resolve the matter through dialogue after issuing two ultimatums.

“Having dialogued with the management on several occasions to no avail, we have hereby resolved to declare a trade dispute over this matter,” he said.

“After two series of ultimatums, we have decided to mobilise our members for an indefinite strike with effect from Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The strike shall continue until our demands are met,” he added.

Ishola was removed from office more than a year ago following allegations that he sold the tricycle without the knowledge of UCH management.

The tricycle was reportedly donated by a pharmaceutical company. Ishola was said to have told the hospital’s investigative panel that the item was initially given to him personally before he handed it over to the Pharmacy Department.

He reportedly explained that he sold the tricycle after concerns about the availability of spare parts and maintenance costs, describing it as a fabricated model rather than the conventional type commonly used commercially.

According to his account, the N1.3m proceeds from the sale were used to meet various departmental needs, including replacing trolley tyres and laptop batteries and providing office chairs. He was also reported to have presented documents accounting for the expenditure.

The ownership and disposal of the tricycle, however, remain central to the dispute, with the hospital management reportedly maintaining that the item became hospital property after Ishola handed it over to the Pharmacy Department.

The latest strike comes months after another labour dispute at UCH. In March 2026, workers under the Council of UCH Union Leaders embarked on a five-day warning strike over alleged electricity rationing at the hospital, citing its impact on surgeries, laboratory services and other clinical operations.

The new industrial action could further affect services at the tertiary institution, which serves as a major referral and training centre for patients and health professionals in the region.