…Says AKeredolu’s outbursts provocative, de-humanizing
By Frank Momoh
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Ondo State Branch, has demanded the payment of 100% of their monthly salary to its members even as they requested that it must come regularly.
The association in a statement condemned Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s recent outburst that members of the association have the audacity to request for 100% of their salary due to them.
In a statement signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Association, Dr. Stella Adegbehingbe and Dr. Olorunfemi Owa, made available to the media, they averred that the governor vilified the doctors by their request that he meets the contractual obligations they entered into with the state.
They however, said the it is regretabble that the governor has elected to irritably disregard basic obligations of government to its citizens.
While decrying their inability to meet with the governor because of the barrier erected by the governor, such a meeting they said would help avert the imminent collapse of the health sector.
They also punctured AKeredolu’s take that the state pays the highest salary to it’s health workers, adding that Oyo, Sound and Ekiti States pay higher salaries on regular basis.
The statement added: “The last salary payment made by the Ondo State Government was for the month of February 2021, and was paid in June 2021.
“This fact of indebtedness and avoidable delay in payment of salaries should ordinarily attract a different approach from a responsive government. We demand that we should be paid 100% of our salary (even if others are paid in percentages) and that it must be regular.”
However, they acknowledged that that they do not doubt the integrity of the governor concerning the handling of the affairs of it’s members to fulfil the promises he had made.
They commended the governor on the good intention and motivation on the promise of COVID-19 Palliative allowance for health workers in the state, adding however that the third tranche of the supposed stimulus package is yet to be paid despite the declaration of his administration.