Lagos NMA Appeals to Assembly over Unpaid Salaries

The Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian
Medical Association (NMA) yesterday appealed
to the state House of Assembly to intervene
on the refusal of the state government to pay
the August salary of residents doctors.
The NMA made the appeal in a letter which
was read on the floor of the assembly by the
Clerk, Ganiyu Abiru, calling on the state
Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to pay the
doctors' salary in the interest of peaceful co-
existence.
The NMA had embarked on a national
industrial action which lasted for about two
months before finally suspended it in August
as a result of the serious need to contain the
outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
The letter which was signed by the chairman
and the secretary, Babafemi Thomas and Tope
Ojo respectively of the medical association,
stated that various bodies in the state had
embarked on strikes in the past and their
salaries were paid.
The medical body however wondered why the
state government would refuse to pay their
entitlement as laid down by law.
In his comment, the Deputy Chief Whip,
Rotimi Abiru, said "the issue raised by the
NMA is valid," adding that the assembly should
endeavour to look into it critically.
Abiru therefore added that before final
pronouncement would have to be made, the
House Committee on Health should be
mandated to carry out thorough investigation.
Also contributing, the leader of the assembly
Ajibayo Adeyeye, recalled that sometime last
year the residents doctors in Lagos State
University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) were
not paid one month salary, saying the House
should urgently look into it to "avert another
industrial unrest."
The Leader stressed that it became more
imperative to address the issue since other
doctors who also went on the same strike had
been paid their August salaries.
In his ruling, the Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji,
who presided over the plenary directed the
House Committee on Health to investigate and
report back


.