Unpaid salary arrears: Osun NMA suspends 7-day warning strike

MEMBERS of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Osun State chapter, on Tuesday suspended their 7-day warning strike as doctors in public hospitals resumed duties.

In a communiqué signed by the state chairman of the association, Dr Tokunbo Olajumoke and secretary, Dr Olalekan Ajayi respectively, the NMA said the strike was suspended following the intervention of well-meaning stakeholders with assurance that the state government would address and resolves the lingering issues.

It would be recalled that the association had held an emergency general meeting on September 18, 2017, and directed all doctors working with Osun State government to proceed on a 7-day warning strike following the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum earlier issued to the state government.

The industrial action came against the backdrop the poor condition of facilities in the hospitals in the state and the payment of 30% monthly salary to doctors since June 2015.

The NMA noted that their agitation assumed a dangerous trend when the body’s chairman and his secretary received threats via telephone calls recently, warning them to stop mounting pressures on the state government over their demands or risk losing their lives.

While chiding the state government for its alleged nonchalant attitude to the healthcare sector, the association in the communique added that “this has affected the quality of health care services available to the people of Osun state and therefore the health indices of the state had continued to maintain a downward trend”.

“The NMA insisted that the state government must address and resolve issues of selective poor attention to the welfare of doctors ranging from inappropriate and demeaning remuneration, victimization of doctors by continue withholding of their 4–6-month emoluments of 2015/2016, non-complimentary pay slips, the burden of huge taxation among others.”

“We appreciate our National President, Professor Mike Ozovehe Ogirima and his team for their support and guidance. We appreciate our members for their unprecedented perseverance and consideration in the last couple of months.

We appreciate the good people of Osun for their continued perseverance.

However, speaking during a telephone chat with the Nigerian Tribune, the state chairman of the NMA, Dr Tokunbo Olajumoke said: “we have given the state government another two weeks window to open up a dialogue with our association in addressing our demands.”

He stated, “if the government fails to yield to our demands after the expiration of the two weeks, which is effective from today, then the executive of the NMA would meet again and decide next line of action.”