Nigeria’s Doctors’ Strike: Fashola Breaks The Deadlock

To end the three-month old strike by medical doctors in Lagos State, Governor Babatunde Fashola has yielded some grounds, announcing a substantial increase in the salary of the doctors and dentists in the state and also agreeing to review the dismissal of a former leader of the doctors’ union. Although no figure was provided in a press statement issued Tuesday night, the Fashola government said what is being offered is an amount equivalent to about 75 per cent of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).

The new salary offer was contained in a letter to the Chairman of the Medical Guild, Association of Lagos State Government Employed Medical Doctors and signed by the State Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Mr. Jide Sanwo-olu, as approved by the State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN).

In the letter titled, “Review of Salaries of Medical/Dental Officers”, the Government, in response to other demands of the doctors, agreed to review the dismissal of Dr. Ibrahim A. Olaifa and commence the deduction of Guild’s check-off dues through the State Treasury Office. The letter also communicated the readiness to review the issue of tax deduction in order to comply with relevant tax laws of Government.

Recalling the previous meetings convened by the Governor with the Guild in the efforts to end the strike, the Government said the increase was a demonstration of its commitment to continued sustainable health care delivery within the resources of the State and in order to prevent further loss of lives as well as protect the welfare of the citizens.

“Having painstakingly examined the issue, His Excellency has directed in line with the newly approved Pay Policy of the State and implementation of an increase in the salaries and allowances of Medical /Dental Officers in the State Public Service to an amount equivalent to about 75 percent of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) in order to prevent further loss of lives and protect the welfare of the citizens of the State”, the Government said.

With this development, the letter stated, the Governor expects that the Medical Guild “would reciprocate the gesture by immediately calling off the strike and directing its members to resume the full implementation of the State’s Medical Programme which Government has pledged to its citizens”.

The doctors were yet to issue a response at the time of this report.

The Lagos State government had initially refused to concede a new salary scheme to the doctors on the grounds that it did not make provision for it in the current budget and that the cost of implementing it—N1.8billion monthly was too expensive for government.

Government also accused the doctors’s union of snubbing offers of negotiation.

The doctors in response said government had never asked them to come to the table to negotiate.

Nigeria’s DOCTORS’ STRIKE: Fashola breaks the deadlock

To end the three-month old strike by medical doctors in Lagos State, Governor Babatunde Fashola has yielded some grounds, announcing a substantial increase in the salary of the doctors and dentists in the state and also agreeing to review the dismissal of a former leader of the doctors’ union. Although no figure was provided in a press statement issued Tuesday night, the Fashola government said what is being offered is an amount equivalent to about 75 per cent of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS). The new salary offer was contained in a letter to the Chairman of the Medical Guild, Association of Lagos State Government Employed Medical Doctors and signed by the State Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Mr. Jide Sanwo-olu, as approved by the State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN).

In the letter titled, “Review of Salaries of Medical/Dental Officers”, the Government, in response to other demands of the doctors, agreed to review the dismissal of Dr. Ibrahim A. Olaifa and commence the deduction of Guild’s check-off dues through the State Treasury Office. The letter also communicated the readiness to review the issue of tax deduction in order to comply with relevant tax laws of Government.

Recalling the previous meetings convened by the Governor with the Guild in the efforts to end the strike, the Government said the increase was a demonstration of its commitment to continued sustainable health care delivery within the resources of the State and in order to prevent further loss of lives as well as protect the welfare of the citizens.

“Having painstakingly examined the issue, His Excellency has directed in line with the newly approved Pay Policy of the State and implementation of an increase in the salaries and allowances of Medical /Dental Officers in the State Public Service to an amount equivalent to about 75 percent of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) in order to prevent further loss of lives and protect the welfare of the citizens of the State”, the Government said.

With this development, the letter stated, the Governor expects that the Medical Guild “would reciprocate the gesture by immediately calling off the strike and directing its members to resume the full implementation of the State’s Medical Programme which Government has pledged to its citizens”.

The doctors were yet to issue a response at the time of this report.The Lagos State government had initially refused to concede a new salary scheme to the doctors on the grounds that it did not make provision for it in the current budget and that the cost of implementing it—N1.8billion monthly was too expensive for government.

Government also accused the doctors’s union of snubbing offers of negotiation.The doctors in response said government had never asked them to come to the table to negotiate.