Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has
approved a 5% increase in the Consolidated
Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS) of medical
doctors in the state.
The Governor made the announcement
Thursday when he received the National
Secretary General of the Nigerian Medical
Association (NMA) and Executives of the State
Chapter of the union in Government House,
Benin City.
Making the pronouncement, Governor
Oshiomhole said, “I believe wages and payment
of wages is a right and not a privilege you
dispense when you are comfortable and I want
us to retain the best brains in our hospitals.
I have argued in previous fora that our doctors
are not inferior to any other doctor including
those working for the Federal Government and
therefore, there is ordinarily no reason why our
doctors should earn N1 less than any other
doctor of the same qualification in any other
part of the country.
“Having done my home work today, it doesn’t
matter what the implications are, we will
increase the wages of Medical Doctors by 5%
so it will go from 90% to 95%. My intention was
that we will flatten it out, but I’m not sure of the
numbers because the health sector accounts
for a chunk of our wage bill as their pay is
much more attractive than regular civil
servants.
So, right away, notwithstanding the challenges
we face, we will grant 5% increase and I believe
in the future, whatever is left will be leveled
out.”
Oshiomhole continued, “Many of my colleagues,
when they read that Comrade has further
increased Edo Doctors pay by 5%, will think I
am crazy. But I realize that I cannot eat my
cake and have it.
I want the best doctors, I want experienced
Doctors, and I cannot keep them if there is so
much disparity between their pay and the pay
of other doctors in the country.
“When I look at the numbers and I find that I
can pay even better, then I will, because what
will be will be. I believe that wages must be
competitive, even if we have a zero wage bill, it
cannot deliver us from our present crisis. So I
believe we should do what we have to do.
We will try and effect that and see if it can be
reflected in the salary of March.”
The Governor however took a swipe at doctors
on their attitude to work, saying, “it is true we
could do with more doctors, but it is even more
embarrassing that the few we have are not
giving us all the time for which they are paid.
We still have doctors who are supposed to be
at work in government hospitals who are found
in their private clinics during the same period
which means they are defrauding the
government by collecting salaries for jobs they
are not doing.
“These practices are on. Even today, if I were to
go with you to pay a random visit to some of
our hospitals across the state, you will be
embarrassed to see that the doctors who are
supposed to be on duty now would most likely
be in their private clinics. So, if you are having
situations like that, given present physical
realities, the first challenges would be to get
doctors to work for their money before we
employ more hands. The doctors should put in
as much work as they are paid.
Doctors who are supposed to be on call duties
never respond to those call and at the end of
the month, they receive call duty allowance.
These are serious ethical issues that NMA have
to address. It is happening in Edo, I believe it is
happening in other parts of the country and
those practices have to be addressed.
Speaking earlier, the National Secretary of the
Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Adewunmi
Alayaki said, “Let me congratulate you on the
gigantic strides of your dynamic missionary
and result oriented administration of Edo State.
we must acknowledge that you have touched
the lives of the good people of Edo State and
we are sure that posterity will be kind to you.
“We appreciate your effort to fully equip the
Stella Obasanjo Hospital with modern facilities
and the Ultra Modern 5-Star Central Hospital
just constructed. We believe that when these
projects are fully functional, Edo State will
greatly benefit from medical tourism as there
will be no need for people to travel abroad for
medical care.
“We are desirous to assist you with a highly
motivated, highly skilled man power to achieve
your noble objectives”. www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/oshiomhole-raises-edo-doctors-pay-by-5/

wey source

other state governors shud take a cue frm dis expecially aregbeshola

He is only building fire or laying traps for his successor.
Why does he suddenly realized he should do so?