The Lagos State Government has increased the hazard allowance of health workers in the state to N25,000.
This was contained in a circular dated April 21 and issued by the state’s Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
This is coming barely 24 hours after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu told journalists at a media briefing that no health worker at the frontline of COVID-19 response earned N5,000 as hazard allowance since coronavirus was recorded in the state.
When asked what the state was doing to increase health workers’ N5000 hazard allowance in the state, the governor said, “It is not true. There is nobody that is in our frontline and COVID-19 list that has earned anything around N5,000. The least person could have probably earned N20,000. In fact, we have even doubled that.”
The circular with reference number Ref. No: CIR/HOS/’20/Vol.1/045 read, “In appreciation of the dedication of all health officers in Lagos State to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, as well as their daily hazardous exposure to the highly contagious disease, it is hereby notified for general information that Mr. Governor has approved the increment of Hazard Allowance for all Health Officers in Lagos State from N5,000 to N25,000 for the month of April 2020.
“The gesture is an incentive to all Health Officers in the State, as Frontline Responders in the fight against the Pandemic. It is believed that the Officers would reciprocate same with more doggedness and enthusiasm towards duty in all Health facilities State-wide.
“Furthermore, I wish to reiterate that our collective efforts will yield the desired result, as this Pandemic shall pass.
“Accounting Officers are enjoined to note the contents of this Circular and give it the Service-wide publicity it deserves.”
Nigeria recorded its first case of coronavirus on February 27, 2020, when a 44-year-old Italian businessman who arrived in Lagos from Milan, Italy tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Italian, a consultant for Lafarge Africa Plc, was among 149 passengers aboard a Turkish Airlines flight which arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on February 25.
He reportedly lodged at a hotel in Lagos that night and left the following morning for a business meeting at the Lafarge’s factory in Ewekoro, Ogun State.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, on Monday, said 38 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 665 in Nigeria.
However, Lagos was not part of the states where the new cases were recorded.
According to the centre, three new states – Gombe, Sokoto and Abia – have joined states with reported cases of the virus, as the number of states with confirmed cases now reached 25.
It stated that of the 38 new cases from eight states, 23 were reported in Kano; five in Gombe; three in Kaduna; two in Borno, two also in Abia, while one each was recorded in FCT, Sokoto and Ekiti.
It said, “On the 20th of April 2020, 38 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Nigeria. Till date, 665 cases have been confirmed, 188 cases have been discharged in Nigeria.
“Breakdown of cases by states: Lagos – 376, FCT-89, Kano-59, Osun-20, Oyo-16, Edo-15, Ogun-12, Kwara- nine, Katsina-12, Bauchi- seven, Kaduna- nine, Akwa Ibom- nine, Delta- four, Ekiti- four,
Ondo- three, Enugu- two, Rivers- two, Niger- two, Benue- one, Anambra- one, Borno- three, Jigawa- two, Abia- two, Gombe – five, and Sokoto- one.”
