The Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Lagos State Council, has called on the Federal Government to fulfil its agreement with health workers over the payment of allowances.
The Coordinating Chairman of SSAUTHRIAI, Mr Omoniyi Olalekan, made the call during a protest/news conference organised by the association on Wednesday in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the union carried out a peaceful protest to express their feelings and grievances over unpaid allowances.
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The health workers displayed different placards that described their demands from the government which included the implementation of a new hazard allowance, COVID-19 inducement allowance and CONHESS adjustment.
Olalekan, also the Chairman, Senior Staff Association of University Teaching Hospitals, Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Yaba, said that an agreement was signed with the government in April 2020 for the payment of COVID-19 inducement allowance.
He explained that the government agreed to pay health workers in teaching hospitals 50 per cent of their basic salary, while 40 per cent be paid to those in specialist hospitals as Covid-19 inducement allowance.
According to him, the allowance payment is expected to cover three months- April, May and June 2020.
“But when it was time for payment, the government came up with its magic by categorising some of our members as non- essential workers and 10 per cent was paid to them,” he said.