The Lagos State
Government has seized the September salaries of medical doctors in the
State over a nationwide strike by the Nigerian Association (NMA) in
July. The punitive seizure is in addition to their August salaries it
had similarly held on to, citing their participation in the last
nationwide strike.
The NMA embarked on the nationwide strike after they said talks with
the government failed over long standing industrial issues. During their
strike, the Federal Government also announced the suspension of
Residency Training in the health sector, consequent upon which it sacked
all the Resident Doctors. The crisis left public health centers shut
for weeks. Continue...
The sacked doctors were recalled after a series
of reconciliation meetings between the doctors, stakeholders and Federal
Government.
Following their resumption of work, the doctors in Lagos
State announced they had been victimized by the government, which had
pounced on their salaries for the month of August over the strike.
In addition to that they have now found their September salaries
seized, although the doctors stress they worked in the month. Medical
sources said the seizure is the State's ‘retrieval’ of their July
salaries which it believed it had paid in error while their strike was
on.
Sources in Lagos State insisted that the Government is has only
operated its "no work no pay" policy. But reacting to the
seizure, the doctors pointed out that the policy has seems only and
always to apply to them, but not to other employees' unions.
Addressing a Press Conference on Sunday, the chairman of the NMA in
Lagos State, Doctor Tope Ojo cited examples of ASUP, ASUU, COEASU and
other employees' unions including the employees' union in the Joint
Health Sector (JOHESU), who were paid regardless of their strike
actions.
Speaking further to SaharaReporters on the Lagos Health Sector
crisis, executives of the Medical Doctors' Guild said the Lagos State
may be specifically targeting Doctors with its "no work no pay" policy.
One source recalled the State used the same policy on them in May
2012, and that even today, they are yet to receive salary for that
month two years ago despite several letters written to the government.
In that May 2012 Lagos Health crisis, 788 Doctors were sacked by the
State.
"Even though they told us since 2012 that they were working with the
no-work-no-pay policy, they paid other unions that went on strike since
then", the doctors said.
During Sunday’s press briefing Dr. Ojo drew a parallel with the ASUU
strike, noting that although it lasted forover six months, the teachers
were paid, and that the doctors’ strike was nothing near six months.
Dr. Ojo further also noted that despite the strike, the
doctors partnered with all agencies of both the Federal and
State governments during the Ebola virus outbreak to contain its spread.
"At first, we thought Lagos State was trying to make another country
from Nigeria by creating different rules from those of Federal
Government, but it's appearing again that it is deliberately targeting
the medical doctors," one doctor reflected.
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