NMA threatens to embark on indefinite strike

The Nigeria Medical Association, Kogi State Chapter has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike action come January, if Governor Yahaya Bello failed to pay all doctor working with the state government their outstanding salaries.

The association while issuing a communiqué at the end of its emergency Congress held in Lokoja which was signed by NMA Chairman, Dr. Magnus Ogaraku and Dr. Zubair Kabiru gave Governor Bello 21 days ultimatum to fulfill their demands or they will be left with no other option than to ask their members in all health institutions in Kogi State including private hospital to proceed on an indefinite strike action from 12:00 midnight of 13th January, 2017.

NMA accused the governor of not paying 10 medical officers employed October 13, 2015 to the Kogi State University Teaching Hospital, KSUTH, Anyigba, while their counterparts in the Ministry of Justice and Kogi State Specialist hospital are receiving regular salaries.

Some of the observations of the Congress are:  the nonpayment of 5 consultants of the Kogi State University Teaching Hospital, Anyigba, since 2015 till date. The nonpayment of 4 Chief Medical Officers, 2 Senior Medical Officers and a consultant working with the Kogi State Hospital Management Board and one medical officer working with the State Ministry of Health.

The Congress also observed the gross underpayment and illegal deductions from the salaries of some medical officers working with the Kogi State government. The premature, selective and illegal application of no work no pay rule to some members of the Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, Federal Medical Center, Lokoja, in less than 49 days (5/8-23/9/2016) of commencement of strike action.

This according to NMA contravenes the labour law which states that, such actions shall be applied on if the strike(s) exceeds 100 days.  NMA also took note of the obnoxious, inhuman, forceful and wicked imposition of levies, taxes, rates, rents, duties on registered private hospitals in Kogi State, while refusing to empower the office of the Director of Medical Services, DMS/NMA monitoring committee with utility vehicle and law enforcement agents to fight quackery thereby stifling legitimate and law abiding citizens in Kogi State.

The resolution of the Congress reads in parts: “That all the doctors working with the Kogi State government who have not been paid their salaries up to date should be paid within the next 21 days.  All underpayments, illegal deduction from the salaries of these doctors should be corrected and refunded within 21 days.

The Management of Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Lokoja should revert the no work no pay rule and pay the affected residents doctors within 21 days. Harmonization of taxes to avoid multiple taxes as is practiced in other States. Stop intimidation and harassment of registered private hospitals and clinics forthwith until harmonization is done.

Failure of the Kogi State Government and Management of Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Lokoja to comply with these resolutions, the NMA will be left with no option than to ask her members in all health institutions in Kogi State including private hospitals to proceed on an indefinite strike action from 12:00 midnight of 13th January, 2017."

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