TheNewsGuru

Tag: Strike

  • Lagos doctors begin 3-day warning strike Monday

    Lagos doctors begin 3-day warning strike Monday

    Doctors under the aegis of the Medical Guild in Lagos State are set to begin a three- day warning strike from Monday, over issues that affect their safety and welfare.

    The Medical Guild is the Association of Medical Doctors under the employment of the Lagos State Government.

    Dr Oluwajimi Sodipo, Chairman of the Guild, made this known to newsmen at a press briefing on Sunday in Lagos.

    Sodipo said that the strike, which would run from Monday, July 13 to 16, would exempt members working in the state’s COVID-19 isolation centres.

    He said that Congress of the Guild had on June 27 extended the two weeks ultimatum to the state government, after expiration of its initial 21 days ultimatum to resolve the issues.

    The guild leader noted that the grace period was given to the government to meet 70 per cent of the doctors’ demands in order to avert the strike.

    He, however, said that the Council, after its meeting on July 11, observed that some of the demands were unresolved by the government.

    According to him, wage disparity between the Federal and Lagos State doctors is not being given necessary attention by the state government.

    “The issue, of COVID-19 hazard allowances and inducement allowances Memorandum of Understanding approved by the Federal Government to the doctors, has not been approved by Lagos Government to her doctors.

    “Doctors working in COVID-19 isolation centres are still being owed two months salaries which have remained unpaid at the moment.

    “They are also being unceremoniously disengaged without recourse to their welfares,” he said.

    The chairman stressed that the issues of doctors getting infected and re-infected on daily basis was not getting the required attention from the government.

    “Our members are putting themselves on the line daily to provide care, and we need to do everything to protect our colleagues,” Sodipo said.

    He maintained that adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), prompt testing of health workers and insurance should be provided.

    Sodipo added that issues of shortage of doctors in health facilities have yet to be resolved with no visible substantive action taken by the government to resolve it.

    “The congress will reconvene after the three days warning strike to review the progress made and plan for further actions.

    “We call on the Lagos State Government to do all within its power to resolve the impasse,” he said.

    Also, Dr Babajide Saheed, former Chairman of the Guild, said that the government could still avert the strike within 24 hours, if the needful was done.

  • Lagos doctors begin 3 days warning strike Monday

    Lagos doctors begin 3 days warning strike Monday

    Doctors under the aegis of the Medical Guild in Lagos State are set to begin three days warning strike from Monday, over issues they say affect their safety and welfare.

    Dr Oluwajimi Sodipo, Chairman of the Guild, that is the association of medical doctors under the employment of the Lagos State Government, made this known to newsmen at a press briefing on Sunday in Lagos.

    Sodipo said the strike, which would run from Monday, July 13 to 16, would exempt members working in the State’s COVID-19 isolation centres.

    He said that Congress of the Guild had on June 27 extended the two weeks ultimatum to the state government, after expiration of its initial 21 days ultimatum to resolve the issues.

    The guild leader noted that the grace period was given to the government to meet 70 per cent of the doctors’ demands in order to avert the strike.

    He, however, said that the Council, after its meeting on July 11, observed that some of the demands were unresolved by the government.

    According to him, wage disparity between the Federal and Lagos State doctors is not being given necessary attention by the state government.

    “The issue of COVID-19 hazard allowances and inducement allowances Memorandum of Understanding approved by the Federal Government to the doctors has not been approved by Lagos Government to her doctors.

    “Doctors working in COVID-19 isolation centres are still being owed two months salaries which has remained unpaid at the moment.

    “They are also being unceremoniously disengaged without recourse to their welfares,” he said.

    The chairman stressed that the issues of doctors getting infected and re-infected on daily basis was not getting the required attention from the government.

    “Our members are putting themselves on the line daily to provide care, and we need to do everything to protect our colleagues,” Sodipo said.

    He maintained that adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), prompt testing of health workers and insurance should be provided.

    Sodipo added that issues of shortage of doctors in health facilities have yet to be resolved with no visible substantive action taken by the government to resolve it.

    “The congress will reconvene after the three days warning strike to review the progress made and plan for further actions.

    “We call on the Lagos State Government to do all within its power to resolve the impasse,” he said.

    Also, Dr Babajide Saheed, former Chairman of the Guild, said that the government could still avert the strike within 24 hours, if the needful was done.

  • Universities workers point out problems with IPPIS, threaten fresh strike

    …FG reacts, directs universities bursars to take action

    Universities workers have pointed out the problems they are having with the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), threatening to embark on a total and indefinite strike if the issues were not resolved.

    It would be recalled that the Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU), has threatened to embark on strike over problems associated with the payment of salary through the IPPIS platform.

    The non teaching staff has also issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government to correct all the problems associated with the IPPIS and the release of their Earned Allowances before the easing of the lockdown, otherwise its members will not resume duty when schools resume.

    Mr Samson Ugwoke, Chairman of JAC and President of SSANU, in a telephone interview, said that non teaching staff of universities have been passing through hardship since they enrolled into the IPPIS platform.

    Ugwoke noted that in the past four months, members have not received full salaries, while deductions made for the servicing of bank loans which members took have not been remitted to the banks and cooperative societies.

    “Since the inception of the IPPIS contrary to what the platform is supposed to be, what we were told and what we believed before we accepted the platform.

    “SSANU members and the non teaching staff in the universities have not received complete salaries.

    “From January 2020 till date, we have not received full salaries and since that time till now, no pay slip has been released by IPPIS to the universities. So all that our members have received as net pay is what IPPIS wants to give us.

    “It’s that worse because if you have your pay slip, you will know what are the deductions made from your salary.

    “Up till now, the other deductions that are meant for our members and their welfare are being withheld by the IPPIS and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

    “They deducted tax and paid to the Federal Government, they deducted welfare money, they deducted cooperative society funds, deducted loans and withheld it since that time, ” he said.

    He said that the implication was that salaries have not been paid in full since the inception of the IPPIS.

    He said that some members were indebted to cooperative societies, banks, among others, by agreement reached with the organisations, the repayments are made monthly.

    He added that the accumulating interests are compounding the problem on members.

    Ugwoke noted that other issues affecting the non teaching staff include the earned allowances, payment of benefits, pension of retired members, retirement age, among others.

    “We have written to the Minister of Labour and Employment, we are yet to get a reply even though they are talking about calling us for a meeting.

    “But we insist, you do not need to call a meeting to pay us full salary or release pay slips. We have made it clear to the minister that they should do the needful.

    “We have also made it very clear that if all these things are not addressed, any time the universities are going to reopen after the lockdown, we are going to embark on total strike.

    “We have written to notify them that we will commence a 14-day warning strike in the first instance and thereafter it will be total and indefinite,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has said his ministry had received the strike notice from the non teaching staff unions in the universities and was making efforts to meet with the leaderships of the unions.

    He said the federal government has directed bursars of universities to compile a list of problems associated with payment of salaries through the IPPIS.

    Ngige, who made this known while addressing newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, said the federal government was in touch with bursars of universities to compile all the problems associated with the payment of salaries through the IPPIS platform so that they could be addressed.

    “We are on top of the situation, we have received their letter. Their letter borders on shortcomings of the IPPIS system and I have spoken with the Finance Minister and the Accountant General of the Federation.

    “They said that they are in touch with the university bursars to correct certain peculiarities and send back to them to treat.

    “However, it’s important to point out that one of the shortcomings which the university workers pointed out is that the IPPIS is over taxing them.

    “They also said that the IPPIS skipped some of their people who have taken leave of absence. These are matters that can be easily adjusted.

    “The IPPIS office informed me that immediately the lockdown is over, the bursars are to come up, but before then that they should by e-system try to give them additional information on some of those shortcomings and that they will try as much as possible to correct them.

    “We have equally gone out to the unions and asked them that we want to meet with them and the IPPIS; so we are trying to see if we can arrange a special pass so that their leaders could come up here and we would have the meeting,” he said.

    Ngige said since Zoom meeting would not be able to correct some of the problems, the government had decided to have a physical meeting as soon as possible.

    He said that his office was planning to apply for special pass from the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 for a physical meeting with the unions to thrash out all the contentious issues.

  • Why we called off strike – Resident doctors

    …FG carpets resident doctors, says strike needless

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Sunday suspended its indefinite strike which started on June 15, following a meeting between the association and Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja.

    NARD President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, who announced this while addressing a news conference in Abuja, said “NEC has resolved to suspend the ongoing indefinite strike with effect from Monday June 22, 2020 by 8a.m. prompt.

    “The national officers shall continue negotiations with stakeholders and progress made shall be reviewed in four weeks during the next National Executive Council meeting in July 2020.

    “The decision to suspend the strike was taken in order to give the Federal and State Governments time to fulfill the outstanding demands following an appeal by the Speaker of House of Representative, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chairman Nigeria Governors Forum and other stakeholder”.

    He acknowledged the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) in some hospitals but said there were still need for sustained supplies.

    The president also announced that the Medical Residency Training fund had been included in the revised 2020 budget through the intervention of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and would be implemented as soon as the budget was assented to by the President.

    He, however, gave the Federal Government four weeks to make good its promises.

    “At the same time, we await the fulfillment of the promise made by the Nigeria Governors Forum to ensure same is done in all the states.

    “On the salary shortfall for 2014-2016, The Secretary to the Government of the federation has promised to intervene.

    “Government has shown commitment to secure group life insurance for health workers. That the disengaged resident doctors at Jos University Teaching Hospital have been reinstated, the Chief Medical Director has been directed to pay their withheld salaries and comply with the provisions of the Medical Residency.

    “On State Tertiary Health Institutions (STHIs), the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum Gov. Kayode Fayemi and the Director General Mr Asishana Okauru, appealed to be given time to discuss with other state Governors of Kogi, Gombe, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, kaduna, Nasarawa , Enugu, Anabara, Abia and Imo for immediate pay parity with the corrected CONMESS of 2019 and that salary shortfalls due our members will be paid shortly.

    “NARD also met with Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo state who also gave his words to favourably look into all challenges of our members in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso with a view to abiding by the international standard.

    “That the Executive Governors of Delta and Benue from reports by our members have been supportive although more needs to be done.

    “NEC observed that COVID-19 inducement allowance has only been paid to 11 federal health institutions and most state governments are yet to review the hazard allowance of health workers,” he said.

    FG carpets Resident Doctors, says strike needless

    Meanwhile, the federal government has said the strike by the NARD was “needless and insensitive” because issues raised by the association had received attention.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed made this known at a media briefing on Sunday in Abuja.

    The briefing was jointly addressed by Mohammed and Ministers of Health,Mr Osagie Ehanire, Labour and Employment, Mr Chris Ngige.

    Mohammed noted that the strike embarked upon by the Doctors since June 12 was uncalled for, considering the facts the government had responded to their needs and requests.

    “It is pertinent to say that the issues raised by the association while issuing its ultimatum on June 1, have received or are receiving full attention,” he said

    Specifically, the minister said that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) have been supplied to all States and Federal Tertiary Hospitals and funds for the same were being provided in the revised 2020 budget.

    He said the implementation of the Residency Training programme was backed by the National Assembly, which provided ₦4 billion in the revised 2020 budget.

    “We have paid N9 billion as premium for Group Life Insurance to all our health workers and over N4.6 billion as Special Hazard Allowance to health workers as already acknowledged in at least 35 hospitals.

    “In summary, a total of 55,031 health workers have been paid comprising of 23 COVID-19 designated Hospitals and Medical Centres and 8 non-COVID-19 designated centres amounting to over N7.9 billion,” he said

    He added that other matters relating to non-payment of arrears dating back as 2014 or salaries owed by State Governments, were either in court, or beyond the power of the Federal Ministry of Health to resolve.

    On addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister said apart from the provision of PPEs and other equipment, the federal government expanded testing laboratories from two to 38.

    He said government have trained over 13,000 health workers on Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) as well as developed policy and protocols for testing returning Nigerians.

    Mohammed said government has evolved policies and protocols for integration of primary healthcare into national response and increased isolation centre bed space from 3,000 to more than 5,000 nationwide.

    The minister expressed concerns that the doctors still opted for the strike ins pite of addressing all issues raised and negotiations facilitated by the National Assembly.

    “We must express the government’s consternation that resident doctors will choose a time like this, when we are battling a pandemic, to embark on a strike.

    “This negates what obtains in other parts of the world, where health workers are rallying around their governments to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “Nigeria must be among, if not the only nation, where doctors – who are classified as essential workers – have opted for a strike during a national health emergency,” he said

    Mohammed noted that, though many options were opened to the federal government in tackling the strike, yet it chose negotiation over confrontation.

    On his part, Ngige said it was a dire time for any sector, particularly the heath sector to embark on strike.

    He re-echoed that all issues raised by the Doctors had been met by the Government and they should have trust in the Federal Ministry of Health.

    The minister disclosed that the leadership of NARD contacted him by midnight and hinted on the suspension of the strike.

    Speaking in the same vein, Ehanire said it was not time for acrimony and all hands must be on deck for the country to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic and salvage the health sector.

  • BREAKING: Resident doctors call off nationwide strike

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended the nationwide strike with effect from Monday 22, June 2020.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports NARD announced the suspension on Sunday in Abuja after a meeting by its National Executive Council meeting.

    According to NARD’s President, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, the association took the decision in order to allow the government time to fulfill outstanding demands.

     

    Details shortly…

  • What we are doing to ensure striking doctors return to work soon – FG

    What we are doing to ensure striking doctors return to work soon – FG

    The Federal Government on Thursday assured Nigerians that the nationwide strike action embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) will end soon.

    This was revealed by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire on Thursday. He said he had a frank and fruitful discussion with the association’s representatives.

    Speaking during the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja, the minister said there was some merit in the doctors’ complaints.

    He, however, said some of the issues raised were within the purview of state governments.

    Ehanire said he prioritised the issue of personal protective equipment.

    “We will make sure it is available in all the places where it is to be used.

    “Sometimes, it may be that the warehouse of a particular facility has not given it out,” he said.

    Ehanire said it was erroneous to assume that the Federal Government could dictate to states regarding certain complaints.

    “We can only put in a word, but we can’t deal with the state problems within the state.

    “I also explained that this COVID-19 period is not a good time to withdraw services because people’s lives can be at risk.

    “I believe that they will do the right thing and go back to their duties as assigned,” the minister said.

    Also yesterday, health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Health Care Professionals asked the Federal Government to pay the hazard and inducement allowances promised them.

    In a June 15 letter to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, they said their demand is hinged on the government’s decision to release N4 billion to NARD members.

    The unions described the decision as “an action that classified JOHESU members as second class citizens” despite also being on the frontline.

    The letter, signed by the Chairman and Acting Secretary of JOHESU, Biobelemoye Josiah and Matthew Ajorutu, was also addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Minister of Health.

    They called for the immediate implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated April 21.

  • FG threatens sack as meeting with doctors end in deadlock

    The meeting held yesterday in Abuja between the federal government and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) ended in deadlock, fueling a veiled threat by the federal government to sack the striking doctors.

    The meeting which started by 1pm, ended at about 7.40 pm, without achieving any results.

    At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Health Ehanire Osagie disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Health would issue a directive to all medical directors in the country to open a register by 7a.m today (Wednesday) and record those who come to work and those who fail to come to work.

    The move by government is coming as the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said that federal government has commenced the payment of new hazard allowances to health workers.

    Ehanire who spoke shortly after the talks with the leadership of NARD failed to yield positive outcome, noted that health is very important at this crucial time.

    He said: “We are ready to protect the lives of Nigerians; we are not going to allow our hospitals to fallow.”

    Ehanire said that Nigeria is the first country in the world where doctors went on strike during a global pandemic.

    Speaking via phone with journalists, the President of NARD, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba said, ”we would call off the strike only when the government comes up with tangible outcome; we would call of the strike within 24 hours”.

    Ngige who along the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire held a meeting with the leadership of the striking medical doctors at his office, said that government is going to implement the rest of the agreement with the doctors in stages.

    When THISDAY asked the minister about the outcome of the meeting with the doctors, Ngige said that no conclusions and that the leadership of NARD disclosed that they needed to go back for its executive committee meeting.

    He said that the doctors have gone for consultations with their members, adding that they would get back to government after 24 hours.

    “They said that they haven’t seen any tangible thing from government and that their accounts were yet to be credited. But I told them that the federal government has paid N2 billion to health workers across board in 14 teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres as at Monday.

    Speaking on the promise made by the federal government to begin payment of the new hazard allowances to all categories of frontline health workers involved in covid-19 treatment, Ngige said:

    “There are about 43 or 52 teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres in the country and we are paying them in batches. By Wednesday (today), the amount paid out would have hit N4 billion”.

    However indications that the meeting ended without any tangible outcome emerged when the NARD leadership failed to come back to the venue of the talks at the Ministry of Labour for the continuation of negotiations.

    Only the president of NARD, Sokomba went back apparently to see the minister but he left almost immediately, and refused to speak to journalists. When journalists reached him on his telephone, he said that they were not going to resume further talks until the government has done something tangible tangible to meet their demands.

  • NARD exempts doctors treating COVID-19 from 2-week strike

    The National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) has exempted doctors treating COVID-19 patients at designated treatment and isolation centres from its two weeks industrial action commencing on Monday midnight.

    NARD President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja, during a press briefing on decisions taken at the virtual extra ordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the NARD on Sunday.

    He said that the virtual meeting was held to review the 14 days ultimatum issued to government which elapsed two days ago.

    Sokomba said that the exemption was in recognition of the intervention of Hon. Tanko Sanunu, Chairman House Committee on Health Services, other stakeholders and a demonstration of NARD goodwill to the country.

    The president appealed to Nigerians to bear and understand with the association.

    Sokomba said that the demands include the provision of the inadequate appropriate personal protective equipment for all healthcare workers.

    According to him, other demands include “universal implementation of medical residency training act in all federal and state hospitals and ensuring pay parity among doctors of equal cadre, provision of funding of medical residency training in the 2021 appropriation bill.

    “Immediate implementation of the revised hazard allowance and payment of the COVID-19 inducement allowance agreed with the government and healthcare workers three months ago.

    “Stoppage and immediate refund of all illegal, unjust and callous cut in salaries of our members by Kaduna State and other state governments,” Sokomba said.

    He disclosed that the meeting was attended by over 500 members of the association.

  • BREAKING: Resident doctors commence indefinite strike

    BREAKING: Resident doctors commence indefinite strike

    The National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria on Monday began a nationwide strike after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum.

     

    NARD President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, announced this while addressing a press conference on Monday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

     

    He stated that the union has decided to exempt its members working in various coronavirus (COVID-19) isolation and treatment centres across the country.

     

    Dr Sokomba, however, stated that exception of the members attending to COVID-19 patients was for two weeks before they join the industrial action.

     

    Details shortly…

  • Strike: FG tells ASUU to return to roundtable or face consequences

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige says there will be consequences if the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) refuse government’s overture to return to the negotiating table.

    Ngige disclosed this on Sunday in a statement signed by his media aide, Emmanuel Nzomiwu, in Enugu.

    The statement said Ngige spoke in his hometown Alor, Anambra, where he donated palliative worth N15 million to vulnerable households to cushion COVID-19 effects.

    He said that the Federal Government could activate relevant labour laws to deal with the situation.

    He said that the law permits the Federal Government to approach the National Arbitration Panel (NAP) and even the National Industrial Court (NIC).

    The minister said that the ASUU strike was all about the disagreement on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

    “Any other reason given by ASUU is an alibi. I invited ASUU for a zoom meeting in compliance with COVID-19 guidelines, but they insisted on meeting me face to face.

    “We have labour laws and hierarchy of arbitration. There is the NAP and NIC. If I am tired, I can refer it there.

    “So the better thing is for them to come and negotiate on firsthand basis where we are not bringing an external arbitrator,” he said.

    According to him, ASUU as an employee lacks the right to dictate to the Federal Government on how to receive wages.

    “The important thing is for your salaries and wages to come to you. As a workman, you receive your pay as compensation for services rendered. So, that is on the statute everywhere,” he said.

    Ngige said that some of the people drawing salaries from the Federal Government coffers were ghost workers.

    He said that there had been a shortfall in tax returns by the various universities over time which accumulated to over N800 billion.

    He said that the Joint Tax Board (JTB) had penalised the Federal Government for nonremitance of the monies to the benefiting state governments.

    The minister said that it was sad that ASUU had been uncompromising in the dispute.

    “We had discussions and they said some of the agreements we had in Memorandum of Action 2019, were not implemented vigorously.

    “We agreed that they will be paid N25billion for their earned academic allowances and another N25billion for revitalisation of university system.

    “The Federal Government paid the first tranche of N50 billion and N25 billion. Thereafter, there was the issue of National Minimum Wage and its consequential adjustment,” he said.

    He said that the Federal Government spent N160 billion in the process.

    Ngige said that the Federal Government could not pay ASUU the next tranche of N25 billion in October last year.

    “They said there is a breach. We said we are owing. That we can pay it. So, we restructured it and agreed that the government can pay them 20 billion and another 20 billion for earned academic allowances between April 2020 and May.

    “We all agreed,” Ngige said.