Breaking: Federal Government Gives Ofili Major Appointment, "Historic"
- Donald Ibe Ofili has been appointed as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria
- The federal government's announcement emphasised Ofili's expertise and vision for healthcare regulation
- New federal government appointee Ofili aims to strengthen diagnostic excellence and elevate public health standards in Africa’s most populous nation
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over five years of experience covering science in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - The federal government has appointed Donald Ofili as the substantive registrar and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN).
In a statement, the MLSCN described Ofili as "an accomplished laboratory professional, global biosafety leader, and champion of quality healthcare."
Source: Twitter
Ofili gets Tinubu's govt's appointment
A statement on Tuesday, June 23, shared on MLSCN's X (formerly Twitter) account read:
"The federal government of Nigeria has appointed Dr. Donald Ibe Ofili, Ph.D., FMLSCN, FWAPCMLS, IFBA-CP, as the Substantive Registrar/CEO of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN).
"Ofili assumes office with a bold vision to strengthen regulation, promote diagnostic excellence, advance laboratory accreditation, and safeguard public health across Nigeria.
"Congratulations, Donald Ibe Ofili, on this historic appointment."
According to Guardian, Ofili’s appointment takes immediate effect and is for a four-year term, in line with the provisions of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria Act.
Ofili reacts to federal government's appointment
Responding, Ofili thanked the federal government for the opportunity to serve, assuring stakeholders of his commitment to strengthening the council and promoting excellence within the profession.
Per NAN, he pledged to work with professional bodies, government institutions and other stakeholders to enhance regulatory compliance, improve staff welfare and support the health sector renewal agenda.
Source: Twitter
What does Laboratory Council do?
The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) is a federal government statutory regulatory agency established by Act 11 of 2003 as a parastatal of the federal ministry of health.
It also broadly charged the council with the core responsibilities of regulating medical laboratory services through registration and licensing of medical laboratories and practitioners, mandatory inspections, mentoring for quality improvement, accreditation, monitoring and evaluation, as well as certification of laboratory test kits and reagents.
Furthermore, the Act empowers the council to regulate the training of medical laboratory scientists, technicians and assistants.
According to Nigerian authorities, effective healthcare delivery depends largely on accurate laboratory diagnosis, making the medical laboratory profession a vital component of the nation’s health system.
Tinubu appoints NUC chairman
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu announced the appointment of Prof. Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe as the chairman of the governing board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Prof. Ogundipe, a one-time vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos (2017–2022), is a Professor of Botany with expertise in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and ecological conservation.
According to a statement by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, obtained by Legit.ng, Ogundipe succeeds Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who resigned after less than one year in office.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
