Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State Chapter has appealed to the Lagos State Government to pay the withheld emoluments of doctors in its employ.
The Chairman of the association, Dr Tope Ojo, made the appeal at a news briefing in Lagos on Sunday.
Ojo said that it was annoying that the state government withheld the emoluments of its doctors for the months of August and September 2014 as a result of the 1st July nationwide strike by th NMA.
He said that except Lagos, all other states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory has complied with the general agreement that led to the suspension of the 55-day NMA nationwide strike to pave way for peace and further negotiations.
“It will be recalled that the NMA after series of negotiations with the government had some of its demands met. The sack of resident doctors was reversed and all outstanding emoluments had been paid as agreed which led to the suspension of its industrial action,” Ojo said.
“But it is worrisome that till date, the Lagos State Government has held on to the emoluments of its doctors for August and September. Also, May 2012 salary is being withheld till date in spite of several appeals. This made the state government the only one that has not complied with the general agreement.”
He maintained that since the strike was not at the instance of the Lagos State employed doctors but at the instance of the parent body of the association, the state government should not be witch-hunting the poor doctors.
“We do not want to have an impression that the state government harbours ill-feelings against its doctors,” he said. “The LASU ASUU, LASPOTECH ASUP and Judiciary workers did not suffer the same fate following the suspension of their recent industrial action.”
Ojo said the association has met with the state’s House of Assembly, the Commissioner for Health and has even contacted Governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola for a peaceful resolution, without success.
He thus called pleaded with the governor to use his office to facilitate the payment of the withheld emoluments of doctors.
He also begged well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the state government to do the needful as the NMA remained committed to maintaining peaceful co-existence and industrial harmony.
