Osun Doctors Protest Poor Welfare Packages
Members of Osun State Chapter of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) yesterday staged a peaceful protest to the state House of Assembly over poor welfare packages by the state government.
The medical personnel in the state armed with placards with various inscriptions claimed that the state government owe them balance of 22 months of their salaries.
However, the state government expressed its commitment to the welfare of its workforce.
Reacting to the doctor’s protest, government through the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Mr. Semi Okanlawon said government has engaged the doctors, perhaps, more than any other category of workers in the state, on the need to equally be sensitive to the hardship foisted on the finances of the state especially since Nigeria as a whole entered into its trying period of economic recession.
According to him, government has developed ingenious formula for satisfying the needs of its workforce within the limit of the available resources.
“This was what necessitated the setting up of a revenue apportionment committee led by no less personality than a former number labour leader in Nigeria and veteran labour activists on the continent of Africa, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu.
“On the state of the health facilities, the doctors must be fair enough to admit that the health sector of Osun has witnessed a huge improvement since the coming of this administration.
“Apart from the huge investment of about N1.8bn for the upgrading of the state General Hospitals, this administration has ensured that health care safety and emergency measures are improved as with the provision of the state-of-the-art ambulances across the length and breadth of this state.
“As a professional body whose duty it is to save lives, we expect and continue to implore the doctors to see themselves as partners with the government in the overall task of ensuring the sanctity of lives which the doctors also swore an oath to protect.
“We hereby wish to reiterate for the umpteenth time, that the Rauf Aregbesola administration remains a labour-friendly one and we have always called on all groups, including the NMA to be sensitive to the prevailing economic situation across the land while the government continues its relentless efforts to make the best of the situation we have found ourselves as a country.
The State Chairman of NMA, Dr. Tokunbo Olajumoke said doctors in the state deserved better welfare package from the government.
