Osun NMA writes Aregbesola over unpaid six months salaries, allowances
Osun State Branch of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on Friday wrote an open letter to the state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola over unpaid six months salaries and other welfare packages for members.
In the letter signed by the Chairman and the Secretary of NMA Action Committee, Dr R.A Adebayo and Dr Adeola Ajibare, the body stated that medical doctors and other workers in the state had been in agony over the failure of the state government to pay them their salaries.
According to Osun NMA, two previous letters dated 2nd April and 24th April, 2015 to the governor had not yielded any positive result, a situation that forced the body to issue an open letter over the matter.
The state branch of NMA regretted that despite effort made by the association to broker peace over the matter, the state governor “was unexplainably unavailable for mediation and dialogue with all negotiating teams” both at the state and national levels.
The group explained further that a meeting called at the instance of the state Head of Service with the National President of NMA, Dr. Kayode Obembe and the Chairman of NMA, Oyo state branch, Dr. M.B Olatunji in respect of its ultimatum issued to the state government on the matter led to the discovery of many other issues.
The state NMA explained that it discovered that Osun state has received monthly revenue from the Federation Account up till March, 2015 and although there was a general reduction occasioned by the dwindling fortune of the national economy.
The NMA frowned that “despite the non-payment of six months salaries to doctors and other civil servants in Osun, contractors and political office holders have been the beneficiaries of the available revenue accrued to our state from the federation account”.
The body criticized the state government for what it called misplaced priorities in resource allocation and distribution, saying “this situation has adversely affected the welfare and well-being of not only members but the entire citizenry of Osun”.
“Our association therefore concluded that the non-payment of six months salaries to our members as well as other civil servants in our dear state is not a matter of government inability but unwillingness to pay”.
While calling for immediate payment of all outstanding salaries and deductions without further delay, the state NMA stated that failure to do this, the state government should be held responsible for any action taken by the NMA afterwards.
