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Tag: Hazard Allowance

  • Hazard Allowance: Health-workers issue 7 days ultimatum to FG

    Hazard Allowance: Health-workers issue 7 days ultimatum to FG

    The Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to pay arrears of hazard allowances owed its members.

    The Association disclosed this in a communique signed by its Acting Chairman, Mr Kabir Mustapha, and Acting Secretary, Mr Joseph Ugwoke, after a two-day meeting in Calabar between Oct. 12 and 13.

    The association resolved that it could no longer guarantee continued services if its members were not paid all the arrears owed them within one week to avoid industrial crisis in the health sector.

    They said despite writing severally to the Federal Government, the payment has been delayed, adding that government selectively paid four and five months in tranches to doctors while sidelining other health workers.

    On the COVID-19 Special Inducement Allowance, the association urged the Federal Government to pay the balance of 40 per cent being two months owed its members.

    “We demand the payment of 40 per cent balance of remaining two months to our members who were erroneously paid 10 per cent.

    “Also, the association notes with dismay the rate at which health workers especially professionals are migrating out of the country for greener pasture.

    “This is due to the poor condition surrounding our health facilities, no consumables for health workers to work with and a poor welfare packages,” they said.

    The association used the opportunity to call on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, implement the Sept. 30, 2017 agreement on adjusting the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, (CONHESS).

    It also urged 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.

  • FG increases doctors’ hazard allowance from N5,000 to N40,000

    FG increases doctors’ hazard allowance from N5,000 to N40,000

    The Federal Government has increased the hazard allowance for medical doctors and health workers.

    While the allowance for doctors was increased from N5,000 to between N32,000 and N40,000; the allowance for other health workers like nurses and laboratory workers was raised to between N15,000 and N34,000 from N5,000.

    This development is contained in a circular dated December 22, 2021, and signed by the Executive Chairman of the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission.

    The circular reads in part: “Concerning the review of the hazard allowance applicable to health workers in the services of the federal hospitals, medical centres and clinics in ministries, departments and agencies, the hazard allowance was reviewed to a flat rate that ranges from N5,000 to between N15,000 and N34,000 for health workers on the CONHESS salary structure, while doctors on CONMESS had theirs reviewed from N5,000 to between N32,000 and N40,000.”

    But the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors have disagreed with the review of the allowance, Punch reports.

    The association expressed its disagreement in a statement jointly signed by the National President, Dr Godiya Ishaya; Secretary General, Dr Suleiman Ismail; and Social Secretary, Dr Alfa Yusuf.

    The association also called on the Federal Government to review the rate to prevent the need for further negotiations in the future.

  • Payment of June hazard allowance to health workers commences Monday – FG

    Payment of June hazard allowance to health workers commences Monday – FG

    The Federal Government has assured medical workers handling COVID-19 pandemic cases across the country of payment of their June hazard allowance from Monday, August 10.

    Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, gave the assurance on Thursday at a meeting with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) in Abuja.

    According to him, notwithstanding a shortfall in revenue, government will start the payment with six hospitals, while expecting more fund.

    On the Residency Training for doctors, Ngige said the Federal Ministry of Health and the Budget Office of the Federation were working in tandem with the Federal Ministry of Finance to resolve the problem in the budget.

    He added that the processing would commence soon.

    “The Teaching Hospitals and Medical Centres have been directed to submit to the Ministry of Health, the list of names of their personnel who had some hitches in receiving their payments and the names will then be forwarded to IPPIS from there,” he said.

    He, however, added that the issue of shortfall in payments had also been dealt with, as the names of the affected persons will be compiled and forwarded to the Ministry of Finance.

    Ngige also revealed that the case of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) had been amicably resolved, with the Chief Medical Director bringing back the interdicted Resident Doctors.

    “The two factors thrown up by the crisis in that local chapter of NARD had merged peacefully.

    “Elections have been conducted to elect an interim executive to man the affairs of that chapter till December 2020, after which a fresh election would hold for a new executive that would take over in 2021,” he said

    The minister commended the interim government in UPTH headed by Dr Solomon Amadi, and the Peace Committee for brokering peace successfully and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) for superintending over the election.

    Dr Aliyu Sokomba, President of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), noted that although a few issues were still pending but that significant progress had really been made in addressing the concerns of NARD.

    Sokomba commended the efforts of the Federal Government side led by Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen Chris Ngige in ensuring industrial peace in the sector.

  • Payment of health workers’ hazard allowance commences this week – FG

    Payment of hazard and inducement allowance to Nigerian health workers on the frontline of the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic will begin this week, the Federal Government has said.

    It said the health workers will receive two months’ pay for April and May before the close of work on Thursday.

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, broke the news in Abuja after a meeting with the leadership of health professionals.

    Ngige was accompanied at the meeting by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN); the Accountant General of the Federation, Idris Ahmed and the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora.

    The health workers were represented by the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).

    The government, in April, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with health professional associations and unions for health workers on the frontline of the battle against the pandemic to get special incentives, including hazard allowance, insurance and tax rebates.

  • COVID-19: Extend hazard allowance beyond April, Medical Guild tells Sanwo-Olu

    The Medical Guild has appealed to the Lagos State Government to extend the increment of hazard allowance to health workers in the state beyond April.

    Dr Oluwajimi Sodipo, Chairman of the Guild, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

    NAN reports that the Medical Guild is an association of doctors under the employment of the Lagos State Government.

    Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu had on April 21, approved an increase in the hazard allowance of health workers in the state public service from N5,000 to N25,000.

    Sanwo-Olu, however, in a circular signed by the Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, said the increment was for the month of April, 2020.

    Sodipo, while commending the state government for the increment, said that hazard allowance should continue beyond April to boost health workers’ morale in combating the pandemic.

    According to him, all health workers are frontline responders, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic has moved to the level of community transmission in the state.

    “Lagos is the epicentre of COVID-19 in Nigeria, which means that all health workers are exposed to risk of infection from the virus while treating patients.

    “Already, some of our members are infected with the virus and undergoing treatment.

    “We believe that the state government should do more to protect health workers beyond the hazard allowance increase. There is a need to insure all health workers in the state.

    “Insurance should not be limited to health workers at the isolation facilities alone,” he said.

    Sodipo said that comprehensive plan should be made for health workers that gets infected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    He said that complications could arise from the treatment which might necessitate rehabilitation or lead to disability.

    The Guild chairman noted that prior to COVID-19, health workers had been combating infectious diseases like Lassa fever outbreak, which sometimes led to fatalities.

    Sodipo stressed that health workers were crucial and play a huge role in assisting to mitigate and eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos and Nigeria.

  • BREAKING: Sanwo-Olu increases hazard allowance of health workers in Lagos

    BREAKING: Sanwo-Olu increases hazard allowance of health workers in Lagos

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday approved an increment in the hazard allowance of health workers in the state.

    In a statement released on Tuesday, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, head of service in the state, said the governor, approved the increment of the health workers’ hazard allowance from N5,000 to N25, 000.

    He said the increment is for the month of April.

    Muri-Okunola said the increment is in appreciation of the dedication of all health workers in their fight against the coronavirus pandemic and their daily exposure to the disease.

    He added that the gesture is an incentive to boost the morale of the health workers as they go about their duties in saving lives.

    “In appreciation of the dedication of all Health Officers in Lagos State to the fight against the Coronavirus Pandemic, as well as their daily hazardous exposure to the highly contagious disease, it is hereby notified for general information that Mr. Governor has approved the increment of Hazard Allowance for all Health Officers in Lagos State from N5,000 (Five Thousand Naira) to N25,000 (Twenty-Five Thousand Naira) for the month of April, 2020,” the circular read.

    “The gesture is an incentive to all Health Officers in the State, as Frontline Responders in the fight against the Pandemic. It is believed that the Officers would reciprocate same with more doggedness and enthusiasm towards duty in all Health facilities State-wide.

    “Furthermore, I wish to reiterate that our collective efforts will yield the desired result, as this Pandemic shall pass. Accounting Officers are enjoined to note the contents of this Circular and give it the Service-wide publicity it deserves.