By Libya Herald reporter.
Benghazi, 15 November 2016:
Eastern prime minister Abdullah Al-Thinni has reversed his decision last month to remove Reida El-Oakley as the Beida-based interim government’s health minister following a local court ruling declaring it illegal.
Oakley was suspended on 3 October by Thinni following a complaint from a member of the House of Representatives’ health committee. However, the HoR’s president, Ageela Saleh was unhappy about the decision, as were many of Oakley’s colleagues. There were protests in Benghazi hospitals at the dismissal and the HoR president called for an investigation into what exactly had happened.
Some of Oakley’s colleagues predicted that he would be rapidly reinstated. Last week’s court ruling prompted the Thinni administration to immediately say that the suspension would be reversed.
In the event, the outcome had already been anticipated and although still technically suspended, Oakley has been carrying out duties as health minister ever since he returned to Libya from a break in Tunisia.