Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ondo State chapter has threatened to shut down the state if Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu implements its plan to pay medical officers in the state 100 percent salary without recourse to other civil servants in the state.
The threat was contained in a statement issued by the state chapter of the union.
The labour union said it was not against the move to pay 100 percent salary to the medical officers in the state services, but insisted that it must cut across all civil servants in the state.
The union acknowledged the efforts of royal fathers in the state in ensuring peace in the state as they brokered peace between the state government and civil servants through the labour union on the issue of salary payment.
The statement said:”We are not averse to the payment of 100% salary to Medical Officers as long as it will also cut across every civil servant in the state.We reject in its entirety the idea of preferring Medical Officers only for 100 percent salary payment and leaving out other medical and health workers who are in the same sector including the security, drivers, sanitary labour and gardeners.
“We hold that, doctors provide essential services that has to do with life. Nonetheless, it is not enough to super-impose and or hyper-rate them as super or extra ordinary civil servants .We wish to remind all that, we are first of all, employees of Ondo State Government irrespective of Cadre and Government as a father must not care more for some at the expense of others. The same service rules and conditions of service applies to all.
“NLC strongly submit that, for whatever year spent in the university by the medical officers, civil service has compensated and still caters for it. i.e, their entry point into the civil service is Salary Grade Level 12 which is a far cry from their colleague graduates whose entry point remains GL 08 except for Lawyers.
“It is important to also point out (though not out of envy) that, their remuneration is higher and better than any one else in the service which ordinarily should have made them reason with government, their claim of essential service notwithstanding even to pay salaries.The position of NLC Ondo State on the new regime of salary payment has remained that of understanding with the post COVID-19 effect on the global economy and we restate again the over-borrowing tendencies even to pay salaries of the Akeredolu led government.
“Medical Officers as represented in NAGGMDP, NMA, NARD etc attends the State salary meetings on a regular monthly basis where government receipts from FAAC and others are given to Organised Labour and Doctors. We therefore, challenge them again to come out with evidence(s) of money anywhere that can sustain the payment of 100% salary to civil servants in the State.Any attempt by Ondo State Government to covertly or overtly prioritize the payment of 100 percent salary to Medical Officers ONLY will evoke a total breakdown and lockdown of government machinery without . This however should not be seen as a threat but, it is a statement of action.
