The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has berated the Abia State Government over its alleged failure to pay the 19 months’ salary arrears to members.
NARD in a communique issued on Wednesday after its extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital described the situation as disappointing.
“The NEC was disappointed but not surprised at the Governor of Abia State for failing to offset the nineteen (19) months’ salary arrears being owed our members in his state which he promised to pay over 23 days ago,” the communique partly read.
The doctors also “frowned at the actions of the governors of Imo, Ekiti and Ondo states who are still owing our members 10 months, 6 months and 4 months respectively.”
It also decried a situation whereby 114 House Officers were yet to be paid their one to six months salaries.
Despite the unanimous disapproval and calling for the withdrawal of the circular removing the HOs from the scheme of service, the association described as surprising a situation whereby the Lagos State Government would go ahead to implement the same circular in the state.
On the hazard allowance issued to medical practitioners, the resident doctors said the N5,000 sum given to doctors, nurses and other health care workers is paltry.
“NEC recognized the public outcry occasioned by the ongoing industrial action. The Association is however constrained as the families of the 19 members who died during the COVID-19 outbreak while providing health care services are yet to get their death in service insurance.
“The NEC noted that despite the ongoing strike action of twenty-three (23) days, her members in twenty-three (23) centers under the GIFMIS Platform are yet to be migrated and captured on the IPPIS Platform with payment of an outstanding backlog of 3-4 months.
“They observed with dismay that despite the express instructions given by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the FMOH to sidestep all technicalities in resolving the issues of dispute between us and the government, not one item on the table has been resolved,” the communique stated further.
