FTH Lokoja Inaugurates 5-Year Strategic Plan Steering Committee

In order to reposition Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja for growth and development, the hospital formally inaugurated its 5-Year Strategic Plan Steering Committee on Thursday, 9 July 2026. The committee was set up to evolve a workable five-year strategic plan for the hospital. An event the Chief Medical Director, Assoc. Prof. Abdulrahman Shehu, described as an instructive step in the journey to establishing a hospital of repute and excellence.

The inauguration, which coincided with the CMD first 100 days in office, brought together the hospital’s Top Management Committee and an external Strategic Committee comprising seasoned professionals drawn from diverse fields of medicine. The Committee’s modus operandi was outlined at the meeting, with focus areas including personnel strength, budget performance, and facility planning. The committee is set to swing into action with a tour of the hospital’s landscape and facilities.

The members of the Strategic Committee include Dr Tuko Tari Moses, Prof. Solomon Avidime, Dr Okpetu Lucky, Prof. Muhammed Sani Ibrahim, Prof. Aghadi Ifeanyi Kene, and Prof. Ogirima Ozovehe Mike. Also present among the Top Management Committee were Dr. Odekunle Rapheal, Dr Musa Abdulkarim, Alhaji Abdurahman Abdullahi, Dr Tijani Godwin, Dr/Mrs Abimbola Odi, Pharm. Ali Innocent, Alhaji Jatto Shaib, Elder Ekeyi Gabriel, and Engr/Mrs. Christiana Omotola.

Prof. Solomon Avidime opened his remarks by congratulating the CMD on his first 100 days in office, describing him as a goal-getter with keen attention to detail and a team-driven approach. He noted that the first step to success is planning and pledged to bring the Committee’s collective wealth of experience to bear in laying a solid foundation worthy of the hospital’s status as a teaching institution.

Dr Moses, who previously served as Board Chairman of the hospital, expressed delight at returning to the institution. He commended the CMD for commissioning the new Theatre a project that had lingered for years and affirmed that the hospital must now build a clear vision befitting its teaching hospital status. He reflected on the importance of strategic planning as a framework from which annual operational plans are drawn, emphasising evidence-based evaluation to ensure that noble intentions translate into measurable improvements in the quality of care delivery.

Dr Lucky, who described a personal connection to the institution, drew on the example of Ebute-Meta as a flagship facility, encouraging the team to take stock of existing resources as a foundation for achieving set goals.

The hospital’s Top Management Committee equally expressed enthusiasm for the initiative. Dr Odekunle, Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), noted that the strategic plan aligns with the hospital’s existing vision and will provide clear direction without expending energy on unproductive pursuits. Dr Musa, DCMAC Clinical, welcomed the external partnership, acknowledging that while internal stakeholders understand the hospital’s current realities, external professionals bring the direction and expertise needed to chart the way forward. Dr Tijani, DCMAC Training, expressed confidence in the capacity of the external team, several of whom he knows through the NMA, and affirmed his readiness to collaborate toward the Committee’s goals. Dr (Mrs) Odi, DCMAC Research, reflected candidly on the CMD’s reputation as an action-oriented leader, noting that bringing in qualified professionals to drive strategic plans is consistent with best practices she encountered during her MBA training. Mr Jatto, HOD Finance and Accounts, described the inauguration as an unprecedented move that would position the hospital correctly, noting the progression from an internal think-tank to a robust external professional committee.

Mr Abdullahi, Acting Director of Administration, affirmed management’s readiness to embrace innovation and adjustment, noting that the CMD’s competence and vision are reflected in the calibre of professionals assembled for this purpose.

Before the Committee proceeded on a tour of the facility, the CMD offered a grounding reflection that the modest improvements noticed so far are built on the hospital’s untapped potential, and that while there is still much to achieve, the foundation being laid is commendable. The inauguration of the Steering Committee marks a defining moment for FTHL Lokoja one that signals a deliberate, structured, and collaborative approach to growth under the New Era Agenda.