Another Strike Awaits FG As Health Workers Issue Seven-Day Notice
By The9JaTREND
The Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) have issued seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to pay arrears of hazard allowances owed its members.
The communiqué issued and signed by its Acting Chairman, Mr. Kabir Mustapha, and Acting Secretary, Mr. Joseph Ugwoke, was issued after a two-day meeting in Calabar between Oct. 12 and 13, 2022.
The Association decided that it could no longer guarantee continued services if its members were not paid all the arrears owed within one week to avoid an industrial crisis in the health sector.
They said, despite writing severally to the Federal Government, the payment has been delayed, adding that the government selectively paid four and five months in tranches to doctors while sidelining other health workers.
The Association urged the Federal Government to pay the balance of 40 per cent being two months owed its members on the COVID-19 Special Inducement Allowance.
“We demand the payment of 40 per cent balance of the remaining two months to our members who were erroneously paid 10 per cent.
“Also, we noted with dismay the rate at which health workers especially professionals are migrating out of the country for greener pastures. This is due to the poor condition surrounding our health facilities, no consumables for health workers to work with and poor welfare packages,” they said.
The Association used the opportunity to call on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, implement the September 30, 2017 agreement on adjusting the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, (CONHESS).
It also urged the government at all levels to make remittances of deducted but unremitted funds to the unions and cooperatives without further delay and remit third-party deductions forthwith.
