FG, Health Workers Disagree on New Hazard Allowance

*Meeting to reconvene in three weeks

The federal government and workers in the health sector
yesterday failed to reach a consensus on the plan for an upward
review of the N5,000 monthly hazard allowance for doctors and other
health workers
At a meeting of the Presidential Committee on Salaries and Hazard
Allowance for the health sector that held yesterday in Abuja, both
government representatives and unions in the health sector,
however, agreed that the N5,000 hazard allowance was obsolete and
should be reviewed upwards.

But the meeting could not reach any consensus on the percentage
increase in the hazard allowance for doctors and other health
workers.

Our correspondent gathered from a source at the closed-door
meeting that the various professional bodies and unions in the
health sector proposed different percentages.

Although the federal government did not mention any specific
figure, the meeting agreed to set up a committee to harmonise the
various proposals made by the unions.

The source said the committee, comprising representatives of
government and the health workers would report back to the meeting
to be reconvened in three weeks’ time.

“Different percentages were submitted by different health
workers’ union and associations and this would be reviewed in three
weeks’ time,” the source said.

He added that the doctors were proposing a 50 per cent increase
in the hazard allowance.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, which lasted for over
six hours, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige,
explained that the meeting was convened in furtherance of the
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in April 2020 between the
federal government and the health workers in the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic.

He said following the complaint received from the health
workers, the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC), headed by
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, initiated a move to review the hazard
allowance currently pegged at N5,000 per month.

According to Ngige, a stakeholders’ meeting was convened shortly
after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, during which an MoU was
signed on how to tackle issues relating to the welfare and
compensation for doctors and other health workers in the frontline
of efforts to arrest the spread of the virus.

He said there was delay in the implementation of the MoU due to
the disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Ngige told the gathering that the issue of government reneging
on the MoU did not arise as the federal government had demonstrated
its willingness to fortify the health sector and to provide
adequate welfare package for workers.

He said that as a mark of government’s desire to ensure that the
welfare and interest of the doctors and other frontline health
workers were protected, it approved a special COVID-19 hazard
allowance totalling N32 billion, which was disbursed for three
months, from April to June, last year.

On his part, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, urged
the doctors and other health workers to show patience and
understanding of the challenges of the dwindling income accruing to
the government.

According to him, medical professionals should see the critical
nature of their job to humanity and avoid strikes, which would
ultimately put people’s lives in danger.

Apart from the review of the hazard allowance, the meeting
received submissions on the demands for the extension of retirement
age for doctors and other professionals in the health sector.

*Meeting to reconvene in three weeks

The federal government and workers in the health sector
yesterday failed to reach a consensus on the plan for an upward
review of the N5,000 monthly hazard allowance for doctors and other
health workers
At a meeting of the Presidential Committee on Salaries and Hazard
Allowance for the health sector that held yesterday in Abuja, both
government representatives and unions in the health sector,
however, agreed that the N5,000 hazard allowance was obsolete and
should be reviewed upwards.

But the meeting could not reach any consensus on the percentage
increase in the hazard allowance for doctors and other health
workers.

Our correspondent gathered from a source at the closed-door
meeting that the various professional bodies and unions in the
health sector proposed different percentages.

Although the federal government did not mention any specific
figure, the meeting agreed to set up a committee to harmonise the
various proposals made by the unions.

The source said the committee, comprising representatives of
government and the health workers would report back to the meeting
to be reconvened in three weeks’ time.

“Different percentages were submitted by different health
workers’ union and associations and this would be reviewed in three
weeks’ time,” the source said.

He added that the doctors were proposing a 50 per cent increase
in the hazard allowance.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, which lasted for over
six hours, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige,
explained that the meeting was convened in furtherance of the
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in April 2020 between the
federal government and the health workers in the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic.

He said following the complaint received from the health
workers, the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC), headed by
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, initiated a move to review the hazard
allowance currently pegged at N5,000 per month.

According to Ngige, a stakeholders’ meeting was convened shortly
after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, during which an MoU was
signed on how to tackle issues relating to the welfare and
compensation for doctors and other health workers in the frontline
of efforts to arrest the spread of the virus.

He said there was delay in the implementation of the MoU due to
the disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Ngige told the gathering that the issue of government reneging
on the MoU did not arise as the federal government had demonstrated
its willingness to fortify the health sector and to provide
adequate welfare package for workers.

He said that as a mark of government’s desire to ensure that the
welfare and interest of the doctors and other frontline health
workers were protected, it approved a special COVID-19 hazard
allowance totalling N32 billion, which was disbursed for three
months, from April to June, last year.

On his part, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, urged
the doctors and other health workers to show patience and
understanding of the challenges of the dwindling income accruing to
the government.

According to him, medical professionals should see the critical
nature of their job to humanity and avoid strikes, which would
ultimately put people’s lives in danger.

Apart from the review of the hazard allowance, the meeting
received submissions on the demands for the extension of retirement
age for doctors and other professionals in the health sector.