The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Labour and Industrial Relations, Mr. Babatunde Williams, has pleaded with the Resident Doctors in the State to return to work, stating that there was no justification for them to join the national body to go on strike.
He made the plea today during a closed-door meeting with the Executives of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Association of Resident Doctors at Alausa following the commencement of a five-day warning strike called by the National Association of Resident Doctors.
The Special Adviser, while addressing the representatives of NARD, noted that Lagos State Government had met all demands of Resident Doctors in the State except the issue of reviewed Hazard Allowance and year 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF).
Williams explained that the payment of reviewed Hazard Allowance had been addressed by the Ministry and forwarded through the Head of Service for further action and the consideration and approval of Mr. Governor. This, he said, also affected other unions in the health sector in the State.
He added that the delay experienced in its release was due largely to the fault of Doctors and other workers in the health sector.
On the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), he requested the association to forward the list of omitted doctors in the year 2022 so that they will be paid along with the year 2023, noting that the Permanent Secretary has been advised to write all MDA’s to request for information required to process the year 2023 payment to be submitted not later than one week.
The Special Adviser said there had not been a breakdown in negotiation with Resident Doctors in the State, advising that there was a need for the body to review its actions and return to work.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, assured them that the Ministry of Health will do a follow-up to ensure the prompt payment of the Year 2023 MRTF and outstanding for the Year 2022 in respect of the omitted beneficiaries.
In the same vein, the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Mrs. Sunkami Oyegbola promised to follow up with the issue of reviewed Hazard Allowance to expedite action on it.
The President of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Salim, appreciated the State Government for its prompt response to their demand and promised to meet with his colleagues for a review of their action.