Governor
Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has approved a 5% increase in the Consolidated
Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS) of medical doctors in the state.
The
Governor made the announcement Thursday when he received the National Secretary General of the Nigerian
Medical Association (NMA) and Executives of the State Chapter of the union in
Government House, Benin City.
Making
the pronouncement, Governor Oshiomhole said, “I believe wages and payment of
wages is a right and not a privilege you dispense when you are comfortable and
I want us to retain the best brains in our hospitals. I have argued in previous
fora that our doctors are not inferior to any other doctor including those
working for the Federal Government and therefore, there is ordinarily no reason
why our doctors should earn N1 less than any other doctor of the same
qualification in any other part of the country.
“Having
done my home work today, it doesn’t matter what the implications are, we will
increase the wages of Medical Doctors by 5% so it will go from 90% to
95%. My intention was that we will flatten it out, but I’m not sure of
the numbers because the health sector accounts for a chunk of our wage bill as their
pay is much more attractive than regular civil servants. So, right away,
notwithstanding the challenges we face, we will grant 5% increase and I believe
in the future, whatever is left will be leveled out.”
Oshiomhole
continued, “Many of my colleagues, when they read that Comrade has further
increased Edo Doctors pay by 5%, will think I am crazy. But I realize that I
cannot eat my cake and have it. I want the best doctors, I want experienced
Doctors, and I cannot keep them if there is so much disparity between their pay
and the pay of other doctors in the country.
“When
I look at the numbers and I find that I can pay even better, then I will,
because what will be will be. I believe that wages must be competitive, even if
we have a zero wage bill, it cannot deliver us from our present crisis. So I
believe we should do what we have to do. We will try and effect that and see if
it can be reflected in the salary of March.”
The
Governor however took a swipe at doctors on their attitude to work, saying, “it
is true we could do with more doctors, but it is even more embarrassing that
the few we have are not giving us all the time for which they are paid. We
still have doctors who are supposed to be at work in government hospitals who
are found in their private clinics during the same period which means they are
defrauding the government by collecting salaries for jobs they are not doing.
“These
practices are on. Even today, if I were to go with you to pay a random visit to
some of our hospitals across the state, you will be embarrassed to see that the
doctors who are supposed to be on duty now would most likely be in their
private clinics. So, if you are having situations like that, given present
physical realities, the first challenges would be to get doctors to work for
their money before we employ more hands. The doctors should put in as much work
as they are paid. Doctors who are supposed to be on call duties never respond
to those call and at the end of the month, they receive call duty allowance.
These are serious ethical issues that NMA have to address. It is happening in
Edo, I believe it is happening in other parts of the country and those practices
have to be addressed.
Speaking
earlier, the National Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr.
Adewunmi Alayaki said, “Let me congratulate you on the gigantic strides of your
dynamic missionary and result oriented administration of Edo State. we must
acknowledge that you have touched the lives of the good people of Edo State and
we are sure that posterity will be kind to you.
“We
appreciate your effort to fully equip the Stella Obasanjo Hospital with modern
facilities and the Ultra Modern 5-Star Central Hospital just constructed. We
believe that when these projects are fully functional, Edo State will greatly
benefit from medical tourism as there will be no need for people to travel
abroad for medical care.
“We
are desirous to assist you with a highly motivated, highly skilled man power to
achieve your noble objectives”.
We just hope this is not campaign strategy
Oshiomhole raises doctors' pay by 5% in Edo
Reviewed by getitrightnigerians
on
19:49:00
Rating:
Nice one. More of this please
ReplyDeleteThat's nice, not like the ones sacking them for going on strike.
ReplyDeleteThat is nice
ReplyDeleteThumbs up Oshiomole.
ReplyDeleteThat's nice.
ReplyDelete#Goodness Ufedo
Oshiomole is just campaiging , ,why is doing this now ? The guy na big scam
ReplyDeleteCampaign or not, the Doctors dnt share that's thought of urs @Giidy.. They sure are happy about the increment... With the hardship in the country today, any additional cash gotten will go a long way
ReplyDeleteCampaign or not, the Doctors dnt share that's thought of urs @Giidy.. They sure are happy about the increment... With the hardship in the country today, any additional cash gotten will go a long way
ReplyDeleteGood one governor Adams,imo governor have you seen it? Your own is to sack and misuse bail out funds.
ReplyDeleteIts now dat u re leaving office dat u re increasing salary, trying to cause prob for the incoming gov. Not good
ReplyDelete