Several workers in the agencies under the Federal Ministry of Health have complained about how the Bola Tinubu’s administration has denied them their salaries and allowances for the past six months.
These agencies are: the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria, the Institute of Chemist, the Pharmacist council of Nigeria, the Health records, the Medical laboratory council of Nigeria, and the Medical and dental council of Nigeria.
Others include: the Medical rehabilitation council, the Dental technology registration board, the Optometrists Board (ODORBN), the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON), the Institute of public analysis of Nigeria and Environmental health practitioners of Nigeria.
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Some personnel complained of their inability to feed their households, pay school fees for children, and other basic needs such as transportation to their places of work among others.
“I think the government should talk to us, please let us know why our salaries are delayed,” one of them remarked.
One of the representatives of the Non-Academic Staff Union of education and association institutions (NASU) urged the president to intervene to ensure that they received their salaries without any delays.
According to him, the chairmen of health regulatory bodies’ unions are appealing to the President Bola Tinubu concerning the non-payment of salaries for 13 health agencies under the Ministry of Health. The budget office later in June 2023 informed them that they would not be receiving any funding from the government treasury any more, thus the formation of a joint body by the unions. Even though the federal government allowed them to stay in the treasury, the unions could not present their budget, and thus, they did not receive their salaries.
“Your urgent intervention and assistance are needed to address this pressing matter and ensure that our salaries are disbursed without further delay,” he added.
However, the Director of Information, Ministry of Health, Patricia Deworitshe dismissed the complaints and lamentations of the workers, highlighting that the workers complaining and lamenting knew the proper way to channel their grievances.
She said: “I am not aware of that, the workers complaining and lamenting know the proper channels to go if actually they have not been paid their salary. They need to contact the Minister and Permanent Secretary. If they don’t notify them, how will anything be done about it?”
