Sanwo-Olu explains cause of Lagos doctors’ strike

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has blamed the industrial action embarked upon by doctors in Lagos state on inadequate communication and understanding, saying the major cause of the strike has been resolved.

Doctors under the aegis of the Medical Guild in Lagos State had on Monday began three days warning strike over issues that affects their safety and welfare.

• Lagos doctors begin 3-day warning strike Monday
• We will remain on strike until… —Lagos doctors

Sanwo-Olu while responding to questions from newsmen at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) on Tuesday where he commemorated the year 2020 Lagos Tree Planting Day, stressed that it is the responsibility of government to cater for the welfare of all workers.

He noted that the cause of the doctors’ action was the outstanding May and June additional COVID-19 allowance, which according to him has been paid.

Explaining further he said, “disputes are natural in human relationship. Personally, I am not upset about the warning strike embarked on by the Medical Guild.

“It is really all around communication and understanding. You will understand things when you see knowledge, and wisdom will also come in when you seek knowledge.

“Our Government was the first, in March, that started paying hazard allowance to our entire health workers, totalling about 20,000,”

“We increased the hazard allowance by 400percent and this is verifiable. All the entire health workers including doctors, nurse, drivers and hygienists got a 400percent on hazard allowance as enumerated in their payment structure.

“Above that, we realised we needed to give additional incentive to frontline workers specifically engaged in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, called COVID-19 allowance, which is outside their regular salaries and hazard allowances. This allowance is for over 1,000 medical officers and other auxiliary workers in all our isolation centres,”

“So, as we go along, we needed to review our strategy, because our strategy at that time when we created the COVID-19 allowance was to contain the pandemic before it would get to the communities. So, we paid the allowance, which, in my view and everyone’s view, was roof-top.

“We actually paid people allowances that were like twice of their monthly salaries. We had thought COVID-19 pandemic would be resolved within one or two months. So, we created the allowance as motivation for everyone on the frontline,”

The Governor further explained, “however, all of us have seen that this pandemic has grown from being a street run to a marathon. So, we needed to have a change in strategy.

“Part of the strategies is to keep all allowances to what we will feel comfortable to pay. Just last month, we paid allowances.

“However, we feel we need to do proper enumeration on the COVID-19 allowance. We needed to ensure that people that will get the COVID-19 allowance are people that have worked during the period of COVID-19 and those that have worked in one or all of our isolation centres,”

“So, we had a two-month delay, meaning that we have paid two months, but we have not paid May and June. The only reason for this is that, we want to be sure the right people get paid this COVID-19 allowance. As I speak, most of them have gotten the allowance for two months arrears,” he said.

On why the allowance was paid on the day the doctors declared the strike, he disclosed that he had given approval since last week but that NIPS could not effect the payment before the weekend as a result of a glitch in the system.

“That was what happened. When the doctors came to my house, I called the Accountant General in their presence and put the phone on speaker. It was exactly what I explained to them that the Accountant General also said.”

Commenting on disagreement on tax issues, Sanwo-Olu made known that taxation and salary deduction is a function of the law.

He said both parties have agreed to meet with the chairman of Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS) to look at what we can be done.

“I cannot take unilateral decision on tax. It is the Federal Government’s law,” he reiterated.

On shortage of medical personnel, he stated that there is a standing order on replacement on exit of any health worker.

The governor said he has given the approval to recruit 760 health workers, of which 400 are doctors, disclosing that the process has started. “The Medical Guild is aware of this, they have been carried along in the process,” he said.

Explaining what was termed unceremonious dismissal of workers from COVID-19 work, Sanwo-Olu admitted that the allegation is rather unfortunate, stating that 65 percent of all the health workers in the state are working in the General Hospitals.