#MayDay2017: Orthopaedic workers reject Gov Ugwuanyi’s salute over non-payment of salaries

THERE was stir at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, venue of this year’s May Day celebration as staff of the National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu wore sad look, rejecting to take a salute from Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi during their march past on Monday.

Curiously, the protest by the Federal Government workers was held amidst jubilation by other workers in the state over the existing cordial relationship between Governor Ugwuanyi and the organised labour in the state.

The Leader of the Joint Health Workers Union in the hospital, Comrade Cyprian Orjinta, who explained to reporters after the joint union march, noted that the union had embarked on a strike over one week now, which had paralysed activities at the hospital.

“As I speak to you now, the whole staff at the hospital did not receive their October, 2016 salaries; apart from the half salary payment we had been receiving since January this year.

“We have checked with our colleagues in National Orthopaedic Hospitals in Lagos and Kano; they are not treated with these salary payment issues.

“We are yet to understand, while the branch of the hospital under the Federal Ministry of Health in the South East would be treated this way,” he said.

Orjinta, however, lamented that still now the management of the hospital and its parent ministry had not deemed it fit to call for dialogue over the matter especially the ongoing strike action.

Earlier, the Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Enugu State Council, Comrade Chukwuma Igbokwe, commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on his development stride even in the current financial difficulties in the country.

Igbokwe lauded the transparent disbursement of N4.2billion bailout fund for arrears of salaries and pensions of civil servant as well as the 100 per cent application of the Paris Club fund on the payment of local government workers’ salaries.

“However, we are imploring the governor to ensure the implementation of the adjusted salary chart and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) in state.

“The release of the result of the biometric exercise for parastatals and prompt payment of arrears of pension and gratuity in the state,” he said.

Also speaking, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Virginus Nwobodo, thanked Gov Ugwuanyi for striving to ensure labour harmony in the state.

“The NLC wants the centralisation of payroll system for local government as well as intervention to the non-payment of some parastatal and clearance of arrears of salaries of parastatals especially the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS),” Nwobodo said.

Responding, Ugwuanyi thanked the workers and unions for their supportive role in the development as well as the enduring industrial harmony in the state.

He noted that the state government had been in the forefront of ensuring that workers’ salaries were paid regularly and promptly at the end of every month.

“I quite happy today seeing our senior citizens; the pensioners, march pass with smiles as the state had already cleared arrears owed to them.

“While other states are currently lamenting economic hardship, Enugu State is forging ahead with laudable developmental projects,” he said.

Ugwuanyi however, said that he had gone through and taken note of the myriad of demands and request made by the unions in the occasion.

“As a listening government, we will address these challenges one after the other according to the limited resources available to us,” he said.

The high point of the occasion was formal presentation of two awards to Governor Ugwuayi as the “Most Labour-Friendly Governor of the year by the NLC and TUC leadership.