30th November, 2024
By Richard Elesho/Kogi
Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has been urged to place priority on the welfare of doctors working in the state. The call was made on Friday by the Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, in the service of the state government, who expressed dissatisfaction over the non-implementation of the approved new salary structure, CONMESS 2024.
The doctors, after an emergency meeting in Lokoja, also expressed their displeasure over the non-payment of arrears of new minimum wages for October 2024 as promised by the government.
The ARD President of Kogi State Specialist Hospital (KSSH) Lokoja, Dr Ameh Friday, who spoke to journalists on behalf of the doctors shortly after the meeting, appealed to Gov Ododo to intervene.
,
“Members who attended in their numbers aired their grievances for being excluded from the minimum wage implementation in October and appealed to the Governor to wade in.
“Recall that in October 2024, the government graciously approved the new salary structure CONMESS 2024 for doctors working in the state. The approval was conveyed by the Hon. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdulazeez Adams, and was widely circulated and published in media, brought joy to doctors in the state.
He, however, noted that the implementation, which was meant to take effect in October, was later slated for November and with a promise that the accrued arrears of October would be paid alongside November salary.
He added: “Members were however thrown into disarray when November salary was paid few days ago without the October arrears of new minimum wages and implementation of the new salary structure, CONMESS 2024.
“The association uses this medium to call on the good office of the Governor, His Excellency, Ahmed Ododo CON, to wade into the situation and extend his goodwill to the doctors working with the State Civil Service.
“We are appealing to the governor to direct the relevant government agencies to ensure the full implementation of what was rightly approved for the continuous harmony and peace in the health sector.
“The association firmly believes in the capacity of the welfare-friendly governor to act in the best interest of the state doctors to prevent any disruption of service by the already ill motivated doctors,” Ameh said.
