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The Osogbo Special General Meeting

AMLSN Special General Meeting held between 21st and 24th September 2017 in Osogbo, Osun State.

The primary aim of the meeting was to adopt the revised constitution of the association which had been partly amended in two previous SGMs, prior to inputs from the association’s lawyer.

There was also an update from the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee in the build-up to the upcoming AMLSN National Elections in Kaduna.

The National Executive Officers set the ball rolling with an executive courtesy visit to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola. AMLSN’s 2nd Vice President, Prince Robert Ashi led the delegation, he eulogised the governor for his government’s achievements in the health sector. The governor took the delegates through history and promised to continue supporting Medical Laboratory Scientists and the health sector in general.

On Friday, AMLSN’s National President, Alhaji Toyosi Raheem was a guest of Rave 97.1fm Osogbo on the programme “Frank Talk” hosted by Femi Olanipekun. In a mode fashioned after BBC’s Hard Talk, the presenter confronted on a number of core questions. Toyosi Raheem, typical of his erudite nature, had all the answers on his fingertips. The crux of the questions centred on professional rivalry, quackery and the legal tug-of-war. Members of the audience, who sent questions via phone and social media, seemed to be at sea on the difference between Medical Laboratory Scientists and Science Laboratory Technicians.

Courtesy calls were paid to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH ) Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State University main campus, Adeleke University, Ede and Osun State Primary Health Care Development Agency. Later In the evening, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo hosted participants to a sumptuous cocktail party. The event turned into a celebration of Godwin Ihimekpen’s birthday which coincided with the eve of the SGM.

The apprehension that preceded the Special General Meeting was thick in the air, but it all died down unsurprisingly. 22 states were represented-which gave more than the 1/3rd needed to form a quorum. The National President went through the suggested edits from the lawyer, the already amended Constitution was reworked to the satisfaction of the delegates. In no time, a motion to adopt the revised Constitution was moved, seconded and accepted to everyone’s relief. Jubilation and songs of praise followed.

Subsequently, the National President addressed the meeting on some matters arising, he dwelled on the need for Medical Laboratory Scientists to defend their integrity and honour. He reported on the memos written to the Nigerian President, the Minister of Health, Minister of Education and the Federal Establishment on the issues that cropped up over AIMLS/BMLS dichotomy and the central posting of BMLS graduates for internship by the health ministry. The FMoH has already written to MLSCN approving the central posting.

The Ad-hoc Electoral Committee gave updates on the guidelines and time table for the coming elections. There was grumbling from the delegates, protests over the price of the application forms was rife. After a long deliberation and the economic analysis between the previous elections in Akure in 2014 and the upcoming one this year, the Ad-hoc Electoral Committee consequently promised to look into the agitations with a view to reducing the fees, and relevant provisions of the revised Constitution would also be aligned into the guidelines. The date set for the elections, Saturday November 18th, however, remained unchanged.

Before the meeting climaxed, the National President addressed the press on the milestone achievements and the agitations for the advancement of the profession. He went on to update the meeting of the ongoing development of the AMLSN Secretariat in Abuja. The Association has received approvals from the necessary authorities to carry on with the development of the acquired property; the certificate of occupancy was also paid and applied for.

The Special General Meeting in Osogbo was both eventful and epochal. The camaraderie existing between Medical Laboratory Scientists is always palpable during gatherings like this. AMLSN is really a strong force.

TANIMU UMAR
FOR: AMLSN PUBLICITY COMMITTEE

The Osogbo Special General Meeting