Kogi NMA declares indefinite strike over non payment of salaries

Following the failure of the Kogi state government to resolve issues relating to payment of salaries to doctors, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) chapter in the state has directed its members to embark on an indefinite strike which has commenced on Wednesday this week pending full implementation of their demands.

In a communique issued on Tuesday at the end of an emergency meeting in Lokoja, signed by Dr. Tijani Godwin and Dr. Zubairu Kabiru, chairman and secretary respectively, the association said it no longer has confidence that government was prepared to honour its agreement and promises made to them.

The doctors lamented that in spite of the suspension of their earlier strike for two months to allow peaceful resolution of all their grievances, such as cases of doctors employed since 2015 as documented in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government were ignored.

According to the communique, the deliberate refusal to recall the nine doctors whose names were removed from the state civil service, despite incontrovertible evidence that they are genuine employees of Kogi state government is a serious matter of concern especially now that more trained Doctors are needed man the state general hospitals.

They are also complaining of under payment of salaries and out right refusal to pay for several months adding that more hardship has been brought to bear on innocent workers by the unjust increment of taxes deducted from the salaries with out comensurate promotions

As part of their grievances, the doctors lamented that the state government has failed to implement, the consolidated medical salary structure (CONFESS).

NMA therefore advised doctors who may decide to take up appointment with the state government to be cautious as even ordinary monthly salaries and other allowances were not paid.

The therefore demanded that all arrears of salaries of the Doctors be paid immediately and all those unjustly removed from the service be recalled without further delay. They also called for the new regime to be reverted to the status quo or effect promotions match the exploitative deductions

It would be recalled that the NMA in December 2016 embarked on a warning strike over non payment of salaries of several months but called off based on agreement reached with government to implement the their grievances.