FMC Umuahia denies withholding union’s check-off

Management of the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Umuhia, has denied withholding the check-off dues of members of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN).

The MHWUN in the state had earlier accused the management of FMC Umuahia, of withholding the Check-off deducted from its members under its employ, describing the act as corruption.

But reacting to the allegation, Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Abali Chuku, said the union had two factions and that remittances had been made to the faction recognized by the hospital management as the legal union.

Chuku said it was not possible for the management to withhold the check-off dues of the union deducted for the past three years, without paying same to the owners.

He maintained that the check-off dues of the union members was paid to the Uchenna Obigwe-led faction until the recent NLC election in the state in which Obigwe emerged the NLC state chairman.

Chuku said: “Accordingly, the proper thing to do was for the new leadership to formally write to the hospital management to inform us of the change in leadership in order to enable us make the necessary changes”.

The union, in a statement by the chairman of the state caretaker committee, Comrade Christopher Uche Ezekiel and secretary, Comrade Enyinnaya E. Ogbonna, said the management failed to release the check-off it deducted from its members. The statement noted that under the Procurement Act and Trade Union (Consolidations) Act as amended in 2005, the union is empowered to remind Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre in Umuahia and its management that it is illegal, criminal and unlawful to deduct check-off dues without releasing it to the union.

The union also gave the management of FMC Umuahia, 21 days to remit to it all dues deducted from the salaries of its members.