The National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners of Nigeria (NAGGMDP), Kogi chapter, has rejected the proposed payment of percentage salary to its members by the Kogi State Government.
NAGGMDP is an affiliate of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) with membership predominantly comprising doctors working in, but not limited to secondary health institutions.
A statement by the state Chairman of NAGGMDP, Dr Abubakar Hassan, called on the Governor to rescind his decision and look inwards or alternative source of funds to pay workers.
Hassan noted that even though the association was yet to be officially communicated to about the proposed salary cuts, but was all over the media of the State Government’s intention to cut civil servants’ salary by 50 per cent due to the dwindling revenue accruing to States, occasioned by the global pandemic.
”At a time when workers need encouragement for optimum performance, NAGGMDP will not accept any wage cuts of its members. We totally reject the proposed wage cuts.
”Government is advised to explore all avenues it can to source for funds and pay salaries of doctors,” he said.
The association urged the State Government to immediately do more to check the perpetual exodus of doctors from the State by ensuring immediate implementation of Relativity, Skipping and Corrected CONMESS for their members.
”The gaps created by exodus of these doctors are yet to be filled.
”It’s quite commendable that government has steadily been righting the perceived wrongs of the past by correcting all previous cases of irregularities and paying salaries on schedule in the past couple of months. This should be sustained.
”It becomes inexplicable that at a time when many state governments are trying to do more to encourage health workers to boost their morale , our government is tinkering with the idea of wage cuts.
”We call on the Governor to rescind his decision and look inwards or alternative source of funds to pay workers.
”This is the only way to make workers motivated to join hands in the fight against the pandemic. It’s also one way of changing people’s views about GYB,” he said.
The association further enjoined the state government encourage the current leadership of the State Hospitals Management Board (HMB) under Dr.Zakari Usman, to enable it take secondary healthcare delivery in Kogi to the desired level.
The NAGGMDP, however commended the efforts of the Federal and Kogi State Governments in combating the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic, while urging them to sustain the tempo and do more.
The association expressed worries about the state of readiness of the State Government to handle a major outbreak of the pandemic as witnessed in Lagos and Kano States, and urged Government to be more proactive.
READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW….
Statement Issued By Kogi Chapter of National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners of Nigeria(NAGGMDP) in Response to the Proposed Salary Cuts By Kogi State Government
Background
NAGGMDP is an affiliate of the Nigerian medical association (NMA) with membership predominantly comprising doctors working in, but not necessarily limited to, secondary health institutions. Save for a handful of States, NAGGMDP members account for almost hundred percent of doctors working in most General Hospitals in Nigeria.
From the membership of the association, it easily becomes discernible that the association is the largest affiliate of the NMA and is one of the most important, considering the place of secondary health institutions in healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
NAGGMDP members have played very crucial roles in secondary healthcare delivery in Kogi State and are poised to do even more. As the level of care that takes care of the vast majority of patients, NAGGMDP members have contributed immensely to the health sector.
Appraisal of the Measures Against Covid-19.
As the world continues to battle with the novel Covid-19 pandemic which has brought all indices of modern civilization to their knees and solution is not anywhere in sight, it’s quite germane to appraise the efforts of our governments in curtailing the effects of the ravaging pandemic.
1.The EXCO has taken a critical look at the efforts of the federal government in combating the pandemic and passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the taskforce on Covid-19.
We urge them to sustain the tempo.
2. EXCO also commends the efforts of Kogi State Ministry of Health in creating awareness about the pandemic in all the major languages in the State, among other measures and urges the government to keep it up.
3. EXCO is equally happy to note the positive changes in primary healthcare brought about by Dr Saka Haruna Audu since coming to office.
We urge him to extend same to the secondary healthcare.
4.EXCO is a bit worried about the State of readiness of the State Government to handle a major outbreak of the pandemic as it’s being witnessed in States like Lagos and Kano and calls on Government to be more proactive.
Call on Government to Halt Exodus of Doctors From the State.
We use this occasion to call on the State Government to do more to stem the tide of exodus of doctors from the State by ensuring the following:
1.Immediate implementation of skipping and relativity for our members.
2. Immediate implementation of corrected CONMESS for our members and indeed other doctors in the employ of the State Government. It’s important to state that Kogi State doctors, by virtue of refusal of the State government to implement 1 and 2 above, are currently earning 50% of what their colleagues at FMC Lokoja , and indeed doctors in other States are earning.
3.Lifting the ban on promotion; many have remained on the same salary grade level for an upward of seven years.
4. Ensuring commensurate financial backing for those who have were promoted before the current administration but have remained on their previous salaries for years.
Repositioning Kogi State Hospitals Management Board (KHMB).
The EXCO urges government to give encouragement to the current leadership of the Kogi Hospitals Management Board(KHMB) under Dr.Zakari Usman to enable it take secondary healthcare delivery in the State to the desired level.
With impressive initiatives introduced by the current management, encouragement by way of providing utility vehicle and monthly subvention among other measures, will go a long way in improving their performance and by extension the quality of health care.
Rejection of the Proposed Salary Cuts.
Although we have not been officially communicated, it’s all over the media that the State Government intends to cut the salary of the civil servants by fifty percent as a result of the dwindling revenue accruing to the States, occasioned by the global pandemic. The Governor went ahead to cite the need to service our loan obligations to banks as one of the reasons. This sounds amazing.
We should like to use this opportunity to point out that the State has lost dozens of doctors in the past couple of years as a result of Staff verification exercise during which salaries were erratic and many of our doctors negatively affected by the exercise.
The gaps created by exodus of these doctors are yet to be filled.
It’s quite commendable that government has steadily been righting the perceived wrongs of the past by correcting all previous cases of irregularities and paying salaries on schedule in the past couple of months. This should be sustained.
It becomes inexplicable that at a time when many state governments are trying to do more to encourage health workers to boost their morale , our government is tinkering with the idea of wage cuts.
We call on the Governor to rescind his decision and look inwards or alternative source of funds to pay workers.
This is the only way to make workers motivated to join hands in the fight against the pandemic. It’s also one way of changing people’s views about GYB.
It will sound quite ironic for a State that has constituted a committee on the implementation of the minimum wage and its consequential adjustment to turn around and worker’s salaries of these same workers.
Conclusion.
1 NAGGMDP is one of the largest affiliates of the NMA.
2. The NAGGMDP EXCO commends the efforts of the federal and Kogi State governments in combating the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic and urges both tiers of government to sustain the tempo and the State government to do more.
3.The State Government should immediately do more to check the perpetual exodus of doctors from the State by ensuring immediate implementation of relativity, skipping and corrected CONMESS for our members.
4. At a time when workers need encouragement for optimum performance, NAGGMDP will not accept any wage cuts of its members. We totally reject the proposed wage cuts.
5.Government is advised to explore all avenues it can to source for funds and pay salaries of doctors.
6. The EXCO urges government to give encouragement to the current leadership of the State Hospitals Management Board( HMB) under Dr.Zakari Usman to enable it take secondary healthcare delivery in the State to the desired level.
Signed:
Dr Abubakar Hassan, Chairman of NAGGMDP, Kogi State Chapter