Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, has directed the immediate suspension of indefinite strike embarked upon by doctors in Abia State.
Doctors in Abia had after several appeals, protests and warning strikes that fell on deaf ears, embarked on indefinite strike to press home their demand for the payment of their salary arrears owed them by the administration of outgone Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Rising from an emergency general meeting of the NMA on Thursday, the medical body decided to call off the strike to give the new administration in the state opportunity to settle and clear the backlog of arrears as it had promised.
NMA in a communique jointly signed by the NMA Chairman, Dr Isaiah Abali; and Secretary, Daniel Ekeleme, explained that the suspension was due to the assurances by the Dr Alex Otti-led new Government to clear all the outstanding salary arrears of its members.
The communiqué made available to Ikengaonline read in part: “Following a robust deliberation on the above mentioned observations, NMA Abia State Executive Council, hereby declares the suspension of the total and indefinite strike with effect from Friday June 9th, 2023.
“By this, all doctors in private, state and federal employ in Abia State should resume work.
“This is to enable the present administration to work and offset the lingering salary arrears.
“Gov. Otti, in his inaugural speech, and through his Special Adviser on Health, “appealed to doctors to suspend the strike and go back to work while giving him a benefit of doubt to pay off these salaries as promised.”
“With this olive branch extended to the Abia State Government irrespective of the hardship being experienced by doctors under Abia State employ, it is our expectation that the Government would expedite action on payment of the salaries as promised to avert the ugly trend of the recent past.”
NMA noted that: “Doctors in Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Hospitals Management Board (HMB) and Ministry of Health are being owed 23, 16 and 2 months salary arrears respectively.
“That the immediate past Abia State Government did not make any reasonable and acceptable commitment to the course of paying the salaries.
“That the present State Government led by His Excellency Dr Alex Otti, at different fora, promised to offset all salaries owed doctors in Abia State by 31st December 2023.”
“That this promise to pay off these salaries was also emphasised by his Special Adviser on Health in a meeting with NMA Abia State Executives on Friday 2nd June 2023.”
