A controversy has erupted within the radiography community following the Federal Ministry of Health’s recent advertisement of the position of Registrar of the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria (RRBN).
The development comes as the incumbent Registrar is expected to vacate office on March 5, 2026.
Some radiographers have opposed the ministry’s action, arguing that the responsibility of appointing a Registrar rests solely with the Radiographers Board and not the Ministry of Health.
In a press statement, the Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN) insisted that the recruitment process must strictly comply with the Radiographers Registration Act.
The association cited Section 7(1) of the Act, which vests the authority to appoint the Registrar in the Governing Board of the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria.
According to ARN, any recruitment exercise carried out in the absence of a duly constituted Governing Board is inconsistent with the law.
However, a renowned radiographer and former board member, Prof. Ugwu, has strongly disagreed with this position. He argued that the Federal Ministry of Health is acting within its statutory powers, noting that the ministry constitutes the board and is empowered to assume its responsibilities where the board is absent, in line with Chapter 17 of the Public Service Rules.
Prof. Ugwu recalled that the ministry has previously conducted interviews and appointed Registrars for health professional boards under similar circumstances.
He further claimed that a former Registrar appointed by the ministry allegedly performed better than the current Registrar appointed by the Radiographers Board.
Describing some of his colleagues as “uninformed,” Prof. Ugwu advised radiographers to seek proper clarification when in doubt rather than engaging in public disputes.
He explained that the ministry’s involvement in the current process is neither new nor unprecedented, as it had earlier appointed a Registrar during a period when the Radiographers Board was not in place.
An internationally recognised academic in radiography, Prof. Ugwu, who has supervised and graduated numerous Master’s and PhD holders in the field, said the controversy underscores differing interpretations of the Radiographers Registration Act and the respective roles of the Ministry of Health and the Radiographers Board.
While some radiographers continue to insist on strict adherence to the provisions of the Act, Prof. Ugwu maintains that the ministry’s action is supported by precedent and practical governance considerations.
The resolution of the dispute, he noted, will ultimately depend on regulatory interpretation and administrative decisions yet to unfold.
