NMA Demands Payment of New Allowance In Ondo

Last updated Aug 5, 2023

Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Ondo State, Southwest Nigeria has called on the state government to pay its members their hazard allowance.

The NMA state chairman, Dr Omosehin Adeyemi-Osowe, made the plea during the 46th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the association, themed, “Medicine and the future economy: The Ondo State Doctor,” held in the state capital, Akure.

The doctors said other states had begun to pay their health workers and urged the government to do the needful.

He accused Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of failing to fulfil his promise to pay their salary arrears by December 2022.

“When our exco came in 2022, we paid the governor a courtesy visit and he made several promises. He promised that he would pay us our salary arrears by December last year, and in all honesty, he fulfilled the promise. Currently, our salaries are being paid as and when due.

“However, we have some challenges in certain areas. The newly approved hazard allowance for health workers has not been paid by the state government.

“The information we heard is that the committee set up by the government is working on it at the advanced stage but our members are becoming agitated because neighbouring states have started paying. The governor also said he would pay when we visited him. We hope that very soon the state we pay it.”

The chairman commended members of the association for their doggedness and commitment to resuscitate the health sector despite several challenges, saying there was a need to encourage doctors who are still in Nigeria for their unwavering commitment to the development of the medical profession.

Speaking at the event, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, said the government had embarked on massive recruitment of medical doctors to work in all the state-owned hospitals and basic health centres across the state.