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Tag: resident doctors

  • Strike: FG, resident doctors reach new agreements

    Strike: FG, resident doctors reach new agreements

    The Federal Government on Saturday morning agreed to pay N4.8bn Residency Training Fund to the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) in the next seven days.

    The government also agreed to clear the arrears of the consequential adjustment of the National Minimum Wage from April when the bill was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari to December 2019.

    The government, through the Federal Ministry of Health, also said it has forwarded a list from 38 hospitals to the Budget office for inclusion in the Service Wide Vote.

    The agreement may have laid the foundation for the peaceful resolution of the ongoing strike by NARD which commenced on August 1, 2021.

    A Memorandum of Action is expected to be signed by all parties involved in the discussion today (Saturday).

    The truce was brokered following the intervention of the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association led by Prof Innocent Uja.

    At the Friday renewed meeting, all the consolidated 12-point demand by NARD, the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) and other affiliates of NMA were resolved.

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said the government resumed discussion with the striking doctors at the instance of President Buhari.

    In a statement on Saturday morning by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan, Ngige said the President directed him to side step every technicality and re-commence conciliation, especially in the background of the alternative dispute resolution window, provided by the National Industrial Court, where the matter was referred to under the instrument of article 17 of the Trade Disputes Act.

    He said: “The National Industrial Court in its wisdom advised that NARD should keep talking with its employers. So we are tapping into this widow of an alternative dispute resolution to ameliorate this situation that is already bad.”

    Ngige commended Ujah for assuming his role as the leader of all doctors in Nigeria, saying all affiliate doctors’ associations are under the NMA.

    The Minister said: “When you talk to the children and they don’t listen well, you talk to their parents.

    “The standing agreement that every negotiation by affiliate associations must be led by the NMA was not observed in the recent past. I therefore commend Ujah for assuming his role as the father of all doctors. I want you to play this role effectively and efficiently.”

    He insisted the present administration has made more investment in the health sector and dismissed insinuations the non-keeping of agreements by the Federal Government was at the root of incessant doctors’ strike.

    The Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, urged the doctors to end their strike in the interest of the nation as government tackles their demands.

    President of NMA, Prof Uja said the strike was avoidable and blamed some government functionaries for not playing their roles.

    He said: “As doctors , we are trained to prevent disease, cure illnesses and promote health but not trained to go on strike,” and regretted that circumstances forced the doctors otherwise.

    He commended Senator Ngige for going the extra miles to ensure that officers across Ministries and agencies who are relevant to tackling the doctors’ demands are put on their toes.

    Prof Uja said: “At the meeting we had on Wednesday , before us , he was calling relevant officers, asking what have you done about this , what have you done about this? He does his own and also chases others around to ensure that progress is made,” Uja said , adding there was no misunderstanding between him and the Minister as falsely reported in a section of the media.

    “At close door, the meeting tackled and resolved all the 12 point issues such as payment of House Doctors where Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria tabled evidence to show that 2800 doctors have been paid and efforts ongoing to sort the outstanding 144; the N4.8B Residency Training Fund which the Budget Office assured would be paid in 7 days.

    “The arrears of the consequential adjustment of the National Minimum Wage which the meeting agreed, cuts across other sectors but that greater focus must be paid to clearing that of April to December 2019 which has no ambiguity. The Ministry of Health also revealed that as of August 3, 2021, a list from 38 hospitals has been forwarded to the Budget office for inclusion in the Service Wide Vote.

    “The meeting also tackled the issue of locum doctors/ emergency and migration to IPPIS, the bench fees and the hazard allowance which it agreed should be out of the negotiation table since the stalemate created by the disagreement between the NMA and JOHESU was responsible for the delay, as the Federal Government already mapped out N37.5B for it.

    “The decision of the National Council on Establishment , given effect by the Circular from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation which excised house doctors and NYSC doctors from the scheme of service was also visited. Also deliberated upon was skipping which is a consequential grade alignment as well as non-payment of three months Covid-19 allowance to some doctors in 2020, and migration of MDCAN to CONUAS among others.

    “The meeting adjourned to 10 a.m. this morning, Saturday, August 21, 2021 to streamline agreement reached on all issues, draft and sign the Memorandum of Understanding towards ending the three weeks old strike by NARD.”

    The meeting was attended by Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Labour and Employment , Dr. Peter Tarfa, Health, Mamman Mamuda, Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare, Office of the Head of Service, Ngozi Onwudiwe, Director General of the Budget Office , Ben Akabueze, Chairman of National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, representative of the Minister of State, Finance , Budget and Planning, representatives of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, leaders of the NMA, NARD, MDCAN among others.

  • Strike: Resident doctors shun work in Maiduguri

    Strike: Resident doctors shun work in Maiduguri

    Resident Doctors of the university of Maiduguri teaching hospital UMTH have shun the federal government and refused to resume work on Monday.

    The Chairman of the UMTH chapter of NARD Dr. Sadiq Kaka in Maiduguri disclosed that there is no attendance register for the striking Doctors and the affected doctors will continue with the strike until given directive by their national headquarters to resume.

    He told Punch: “As of today (Monday), I, as the chairman of UMTH chapter of NARD, have yet to receive any directive from our national body instructing us to report to work. We have complied 100% with the national directive to embark on strike action and that is what we are doing.

    “That the federal government threatens not to pay our salaries if we do not resume work is a farce because we are together in solidarity with our national body irrespective of the circumstances,” Sadiq Kaka stated.

    On the peculiar situation of Borno State as regards the outcome of insurgency and urgent medical needs of patients in the hospital, the doctor said there are other medical workers that will provide sufficient attention to the patients.

    He said, “We are aware of the large number of patients seeking medical attention at the teaching hospital especially considering we are in a crisis ravaged state that has high demand of our services. But we are not bothered because there are consultants and other medical students who have been drafted in to provide all necessary attention to the patients but as for the resumption of work, we in UMTH Will strictly obey our national body.”

     

  • Resident doctors commence fresh nationwide strike Monday

    Resident doctors commence fresh nationwide strike Monday

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has directed its members across the country to embark on a total strike from Monday, August 2.

    This directive was issued on Saturday at the end of the executive meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union held in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

    Briefing reporters at the end of the meeting, NARD National President, Dr Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, disclosed that members have been asked to proceed on a nationwide indefinite industrial action.

    “We are embarking on a total and indefinite strike on August 2, 2021. You can recall we had a memorandum of action on March 31, 2021, and had an addendum to it on April 9, and since then, we still have had irregularities in the payment of salaries to the house officers.

    “We had issues with them being non-regular payment and as part of the memorandum of action, it was said that they should be captured back into the IPPS platform,” he said.

    Uyilawa added, “You are aware that we lost 19 members to COVID-19 and death in service insurance was supposed to be paid to their next of kin.

    “The last time we met the minister of labour and minister of health, we were told that our members are part of those to be given the insurance benefit, but we found out that their names are not even their.”

    He cited the inability of the Federal Government to meet the demands of the doctors as part of the reasons for the decision to go on strike.

    The NARD president, however, apologised to Nigerians for the decision which he insisted was a result of the government’s failure in its responsibilities.

    The resolutions reached at the end of the meeting read,

    After critical appraisal of the performance of both Federal and State Governments on all the issues affecting the welfare of our members as observed above and the insincerity of government in implementing the memorandum of action after One Hundred and Thirteen (113) days, the NEC unanimously resolved by vote to resume the total and indefinite
    strike action from 08.00hrs Monday 2nd August 2021.

    The NEC in particular demanded the immediate withdrawal of the circular removing House Officers from the scheme of service.

    Finally, the NEC stated unequivocally especially to the members of the public that the NARD is committed to the smooth running of the health sector; however, can only do so when our welfare is given the desired attention.

    The doctors had embarked on industrial action in April, leaving many patients unattended across various government-owned hospitals in the country.

    They later suspended it 10 days later following a virtual meeting with members which lasted about 15 hours on April 10.

    Some of the issues raised by the medical practitioners as of then included the immediate payment of all salaries owed to all house officers, including March salaries (regardless of quota system) before the end of business on March 31.

    They also sought an upward review of the hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated basic salaries of all health workers and payment of the outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance, especially in state-owned-tertiary Institutions.

    The doctors called for the abolishment of the exorbitant bench fees being paid by their members on outside postings in all training institutions across the country.

  • Resident doctors send letter of appreciation to Ngige for timely resolution of strike

    Resident doctors send letter of appreciation to Ngige for timely resolution of strike

    The leadership of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has commended Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige for prompt resolution of the recent nationwide doctors’ strike.

    NARD, in a letter of appreciation to Ngige by its National President, Dr Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, and Secretary-General, Dr Jerry Isogun, commended the Minister for his role as a conciliator, which made the Federal Government to acknowledge their plights and request on time to solve them

    The letter reads: “On behalf of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), we write to express our sincere gratitude for your role in resolving the issues of agitation amongst our members.

    “We also commend you for your outstanding leadership qualities, which have resulted in the timely solutions to the lingering issues in the Health Sector. We are deeply humbled by your steadfastness, especially as it concerns resident doctors.

     

    “Your role as the Chief conciliator is evident as the Federal Government has acknowledged our plights and requested for time to solve them. You are indeed a medical elder of repute. Accept Sir, the assurances of our highest regards.”

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the doctors had on April 1 commenced nationwide strike that grounded health facilities nationwide for 10 days.

    The strike was suspended on April 11.

  • Strike: FG faults rejection of MoA by resident doctors

    Strike: FG faults rejection of MoA by resident doctors

    The Federal Government has faulted the National Association of Resident Doctors’ (NARD) rejection of the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed on March 31 in spite of meeting the demands of the association.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige said this in a statement by Mr Charles Akpan, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations of the ministry on Saturday in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the resident doctors had threatened to commence strike on April 1, alleging that the Federal Government had reneged in the agreements entered with the doctors.

    The aggrieved doctors’ agitations include the non-payment of salaries of three to five months of some house officers and non-recruitment of house officers.

    Others are abolishment of the bench fees for doctors undergoing training in other hospitals, non-payment of National Minimum Wage and hazard allowances.

    Ngige said that government was faithful to the agreement entered with the aggrieved resident doctors by the President of NARD, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesu

    Ngige said that the Federal Government had substantially met the demands of NARD.

    He explained that some of the demands by NARD were made in error as some of the issues were already conciliated and implemented hundred per cent.

    He, however, said that the outstanding issues which came up at the last conciliation were time- lined along a month life span of implementation, adding that they were still work in progress.

    The minister, however, faulted the unilateral repudiation of the MoA by NARD’s President, describing it as unknown in labour negotiation.

    “He did not participate in most of the discussions last Wednesday because he fell ill not quite after the meeting started and had to excuse himself.

    ”He handed over to his deputy, the Secretary-General and other officers of the association, who fully participated. We spent seven hours and by the time we put our signatures to the papers, it was eight hours.

    “Disowning the MOA duly negotiated is unknown to labour. The two parties to the negotiation signed the MOA. Four officers from government and three from NARD signed the document.

    ”The president who was not at the meeting but fully represented by deputies went to NARD’s NEC and disowned the paper because they were signed by his deputy and secretary general.

    ”There is what is called transmission of power. He as the President fell sick and his deputies continued with the meeting. That’s allowed,” he said.

    Ngige said that it was wrong for NARD to impose a fait accompli on the Federal Government while negotiation was ongoing.

    According to him, when a trade dispute has been apprehended, no party imposes on the other, a fait accompli.

    ”We signed a memorandum that says NARD will go back to its members to educate them on what has been agreed, the timelines placed on them, with a view not to disturb the industrial milieu in the health sector.

    ”We also agreed to reconvene after four weeks, “the minister said.

    The minister added that the four weeks was given to allow enough time to implement the issues in the timeline, some of which would take three weeks, before reconvening.

    He further expressed disappointment that NARD made a detour and mobilised members into action on the Eastertide, when Christians were observing the holiest week in their universal calendar.

    He dismissed as untrue, allegation that doctors in the public health institutions across the country, were not insured.

    On this note, he said the Federal Government spent N13.3 billion in 2020, on Group Life Insurance not just for doctors and health workers but also for workers in the federal civil and public service.

    He stated that the reason for the composite exercise was to stop a situation where ministries and agencies of government worked in silos in payment of death benefits to workers and with lapses in some cases.

    “This N13.3b was paid to thirteen insurance companies and brokerage firms to administer.

    “And this is not the first time that NARD and teaching hospitals have been told to send in names and make claims for members who have lost their lives.

    “It is an insurance that runs for one year and it is still on till March that just ended and even at that, the new payment is now being processed, so that it becomes a continuous thing,” he said.

    The minister added that NARD was again reminded of the development while signing an MoA on March 31, 2012 to put up claims through the Ministry of Health to the Head of Service of the Federation.

    This, he said was the only basis for payment of premium to the beneficiaries.

    He further said that the procedure was for all health workers in the Federal Government employee, noting that Federal Government fast-tracked the insurance cover last year in anticipation of casualties attendant upon COVID-19 outbreak.

    He said that unionisation for the welfare of workers should not be only for the purpose of strike, rather, going the extra miles to exploit all opportunities provided by government for the welfare of the workforce.

    “So, NARD should make claims for the seventeen of their members it confirmed dead as result of COVID-19.

    “They have the right to make a claim on behalf of their members. The insurance company only needs to verify the claims and pay.

    “They can similarly make claim under the Employee Compensation Act for any of their members who has suffered injury in the course of his or her work or hazard in the course of work,’’ he said.

    Speaking on the Medical Residency Programme which is the major reason for fresh action by NARD, the Minister declared that the progrramme has been working hitch-free since it came up in 2019.

    He said that the House of Representatives had to do a supplementary appropriation to accommodate it in 2020 COVID-19 budget and the funds, fully released by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

    He therefore urged doctors to respect the Hippocratic Oath which makes the wellbeing of patient’s cardinal.

  • NMA backs striking resident doctors, accuses Ngige of hate speech

    NMA backs striking resident doctors, accuses Ngige of hate speech

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has declared support for the striking doctors under the aegis of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

    The foremost medical body also accused the Minister of Labour and Productivity Dr. Chris Ngige of hate speech for the way he spoke during a Channels Television aired on Friday night.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the minister had during the interview said will Federal Government will implement the ‘no work, no pay’ on the striking National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) if they refuse to resume work.

    “By Tuesday, I will invite them back. If they become recalcitrant, there are other things I can do. There are weapons in the Labour Laws, I will invoke them. There is no work, no pay.

    Their employers have a role also to keep their business afloat, to keep patients alive. They can employ local doctors. We won’t get there but if we are going to get there, we will use that stick” the minister said during the interview.

    In a swift response the NMA tackled claims by Ngige who also doubles as a medical doctor. Read press release below:

    PRESS RELEASE
    RESIDENT DOCTORS ARE PAID ALL OVER THE WORLD

    The attention of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has been drawn to a recent live interview granted on Channels TV on Friday, 2nd April 2021, by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Productivity, HE, Senator Dr Chris Ngige OON.

    In the interview, the Honourable Minister alleged that in the United States of America (USA) and other developed countries, Resident Doctors pay for their residency training abroad, whereas in Nigeria, the government pays them.

    In as much as we appreciate the efforts being made by the government to resolve the issues that have led to this avoidable and unnecessary industrial action by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) wishes to clarify the misinformation by the Honourable Minister in
    the interview, which is seriously viewed to be a hate speech capable of bringing down the health system in Nigeria and thereby worsening the health care delivery and further escalate the rather unimaginable current brain drain.

    In the United States of America and other developed countries, Resident Doctors work as they are being trained and they are paid by their employers. In the United Kingdom, the employer of Resident Doctors is the NHS, which is similar to what is obtainable in Nigeria.

    Furthermore, Residents also pay to take their postgraduate Medical examinations in the developed countries, which is what also obtains in Nigeria.

    The NMA is totally in disagreement with the way and manner some government functionaries carry out their duties’ which is completely insensitive to the plight of the people.

    Accountability is the fulcrum for good governance in all facets and we do not demand anything less from those charged with the responsibility of governing the people.

    In order to resolve the lingering crisis in the Nigerian health sector, the NMA urges the government to prioritise and improve the healthcare delivery to Nigerians and at the same time improve the welfare of Medical practitioners and other health workers, which is considered the most sustainable means of delivering quality health care to the people who in the first place elected them.

    Perhaps, this will help to reduce the current brain drain being experienced that is dealing a deadly blow to our health care delivery system, which has made our hospitals to be regarded as mere Consulting Clinics.

    The NMA wishes to assure Nigerians that it is willing to partner with the governments towards enhancing quality health care delivery in Nigeria, despite the persistent provocation from its functionaries.

  • FG, resident doctors reach an agreement after long hours of meeting

    FG, resident doctors reach an agreement after long hours of meeting

    The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Action, MoA, with the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, to avert the planned nationwide strike of resident doctors billed to commence Thursday, April 1.

    The agreement was signed at midnight on Wednesday after a marathon meeting between the government team and the leadership of NARD at the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.

    The meeting, which lasted seven hours, deliberated on the issues raised by the aggrieved doctors in their Notice of Trade Dispute including the non-payment of salaries of some house officers.

    Other sore points were non-recruitment of house officers, abolishment of the bench fees for doctors undergoing training in other hospitals, non-payment of national minimum wage and hazard allowances. Briefing journalists on the outcome, Ngige assured that all the things written in the MoA will be implemented. He said: “Twelve hours is a lot of time. Everybody will be working. Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) will be working.

    “And hopefully by tomorrow (Friday), you will experience the payment as agreed here for the second category of doctors (an overflow of the MDCN quota).

    We hope it must happen tomorrow and continue. “So, by the time the chairman of the CMDs comes up with his final list and harmonise it with MDCN, we won’t have issues anymore over this payment or whether some doctors have not been paid.”

    With regards to other issues raised by the doctors at the meeting, Ngige explained that timelines have been put on them, the reason why they were going to reconvene in one month’s time to look at the assignments given, to know who performed and who has not performed.

    “And with this MOA, we hope you get to your members to let them understand better that government has moved proactively to address most of the issues ahead of your coming.”

    According to the Minister, what the government side has done means that they have arrested the impending industrial dispute of the doctors and the issues in contention being addressed.

    “We are happy that you understand. So, I give you the assurance that most of the things written here will be done. “We will assist the Federal Ministry of Health, Finance Ministry and Office of Accountant-General of the Federation to make sure that they keep to their own side of the bargain.

    “The MoA says that you will talk to your people and we hope that when you come to collect your own copy tomorrow, you can tell the nation that you people are not strike mongers and that you are happy with the decisions taken so far.”

    Others members of the government team at the meeting were the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Abdulaziz Mashi; his Labour and Employment counterpart, Peter Tarfa; representatives of the OAGF, MDCN and the National Salaries, Wages and Incomes Commission.

  • BREAKING: Resident doctors embark on nationwide strike

    BREAKING: Resident doctors embark on nationwide strike

    Members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors on Thursday morning began a nationwide strike despite Federal Government’s final efforts to stop the action.

    The resident doctors, however, assured Nigerians that their action was not meant to hurt them.

    They made this known in a message posted on the association’s Twitter handle, @nard_nigeria, on Thursday morning.

    The message read, “Nigerians must understand that we love them and the strike is not intended to hurt them but to challenge the Nigerian government @MBuhari @Fmohnigeria @LabourMinNG whose responsibilities amongst others is to care for her citizens and labour force to do the needful.”

    The union’s President, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, also confirmed to Channels TV that the strike had commenced by 8am Thursday.

    The strike is happening at a time when the President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), is in London for medical check-up.

     

  • Resident doctors threaten fresh nationwide strike

    Resident doctors threaten fresh nationwide strike

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened to go on strike over the failure of the Federal Government to address their demands and implement the agreements reached with the association since last year.

    In a communique issued on Tuesday and signed by NARD President, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, after a virtual National Executive Meeting, the association resolved to proceed on a recess after their if their demands are not acceded to by the government.

    Among their demands include the immediate payment of the salaries of members, the payment of all minimum wage and other salary arrears to its members nationwide without further delay and the immediate implementation of 50% of consolidated basic Salary as Hazard allowance for all healthcare workers.

    Others are the immediate payment of the Medical Residency Fund for 2021 with the arrears of 2019 and 2020 inclusive, that all training institutions be directed to stop the collection of Bench Fee from its members since it was not captured in the Residency Training Fund as approved, and that all clinical health workers be considered for COVID-19 vaccination and other issues affecting efficient health care delivery in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic including adequate provision of PPEs be addressed.

    The association warned that should the Federal Government fail to implement the demands, its members would have no choice but to proceed on indefinite strike pending when the demands are met.

  • JUST IN: Resident doctors, Legal officers commence indefinite strike in Ondo

    JUST IN: Resident doctors, Legal officers commence indefinite strike in Ondo

    The Association of Resident Doctors in the Ondo State University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) on Monday began its indefinite strike action over non-payment of four months’ salary.

    This is just as the legal officers in the Ondo State Ministry of Justice under the auspices of Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN) withdrew its services over what it termed worsening despicable and deplorable conditions its members were subjected to.

    Last week, the UNIMEDTH ARD had embarked on a three-day warning strike with a threat to totally down tools if their demands were not met.

    Acting President of ARD, Ondo State, Dr. Sanni Oriyomi, who spoke to journalist in Akure said they could no longer pretend that all was well with them.

    Dr. Oriyomi stated that besides the non-payment of salaries, there were issues of dearth of doctors and House Officers.

    Oriyomi said the COVID-19 hazard allowance was paid for only one month and that the Resident doctors sought accommodation for themselves instead of residing in houses provided by the hospital management.

    He said the absence of House Officers is affecting health of his members.

    According to him, “Having persevered to render services, our salary has become issue of concern. We are finding it difficult to meet up with our financial obligations.

    “We are calling on the government to come up with solutions. It is not in our interest to embark on this strike but enough is enough.”

    Spokesman of the Ondo ARD, Dr. Taiwo Olaigbe, said the state health system was on the brink of collapsed.

    Dr. Olaigbe insisted that they would not return work until all their salaries are paid.

    Meanwhile, the Ondo Legal Officers in a statement signed by its Chairman, Babatunde Victor Falodun and Secretary, Wale Banisile and addressed to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said the work-to-rule strike action would persist until their demands are met.

    The statement said administration of justice in Ondo State has suffered untold hardship due to constraints of funds and abysmal condition of service.

    It said legal poverty must end in the state as the state Counsel are the least paid in the country.

    Other demands were stoppage of the N187 State Counsel Allowance and upward review of same to reflect current reality, end to commercial motorcycling to courts as well as release of funds approved for outfit/Robe allowance since March 2020.

    Acting Ondo Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye, said the state government was already working towards ensuring the Resident doctors receive their salaries same day with the civil servants.

    Dr. Adeyeye said the plan was to move the doctors’ salaries to the central pay system.