Wage increase: You are a blackmailer, Ogun state doctors blast governor abiodun

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on Monday said Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun was trying to blackmail the body, with claim that they(Doctors) were demanding wage increase.

Penpushing reports that, the chairman of the association, Dr Ismail Lawal stated this in reaction to the Governor’s comments that he was disappointed that such ‘irresponsible’ demand was coming from them at a time the world is fighting hard against coronavirus.

The association declared Abiodun’s attack on Doctors as “unbecoming and disappointing”, explaining that contrary to his claim that they were requesting for wage increase, what he should have done was to address the problem, rather than name calling

Penpushing reports that, Lawal added that the 300 percent increment for medical workers’ hazard allowance as announced by the governor was mere “blackmail and tricky’, adding that it was out of place for the Governor to have attributed their demand as politically sponsored.

The association declared that, the action of the Governor can be described as another ‘constituted authority’ in the making, stressing that it was shameful that this was happening in the gateway state.

“That implies we are already grooming another constituted authority in the state. If you remember very well, we had a governor like that in Oyo state and at the end of the day, history is there to tell us what came after the issue,”

The Doctors argued that prior to this, they had embarked on a three-day warning strike, a development which forced the government into a negotiation with them, and expressed disappointment that the Governor was claiming that they were demanding pay hike despite the effect of coronavirus on the economy

Penpushing reports that Lawal explained that the agitation predated coronavirus crisis, explaining that   the governor failed to show commitment to the doctors’ plight, emphasizing that he(Abiodun) should not see paying of salaries as doing them a favour, stressing that  it is their legitimate rights.

“At our level, I believe that any doctors that have passed through medical school for minimum of six years to get NBBS and NTBH,  that person should have something upstairs to offer. It is becoming of political officers to just see you asking for your rights as if they are doing you a favour.

‘If you remember very well, we had a governor like that in Oyo state and at the end of the day, history is there to tell us what came after the issue. Whatever resources belong to Ogun state belongs to all of us and it shouldn’t be seen as if I am doing a favour to you because I am paying you salaries. I am ashamed and I am disappointed. It implies that we are already grooming a constituted authority in the state’, Lawal declared.

Penpushing recalled that, Abiodun expressed his anger over the request at a press conference, observing that such demand may have been politically sponsored and has political undertone and inclinations, at this point in time

‘I find it difficult that at this time when we are all thinking on what to do or how to do, any set of people will be irresponsibly request for wage increase and this are set of people we have entrusted our health to, at the point in time like this. I am sorry, I am very disappointed’, he said.

‘ I beginning to wonder as been speculated that this may actually have political inclinations that this people may be political sponsored , I hate to believe it but at this point in time anything is believable’, Abiodun emphasised.

The Governor pointed out that, it was unfortunate that those in charge to look after the people, ignored their roles in making life better for the residents, lamenting that what was paramount to them is monetary gain

‘If you see people who are educated, people who went to medical school and graduated, whose charge is to look after the people and that is what should be paramount to them not money. We have done our best, we have put life insurance in place for everybody whether you are front line or not’.

‘That day I authorised PPEs to them, face masks and all, increase their hazard allowance by 300 percent. I read in other platform that Governor Abiodun should focused on health as against constructing schools and roads and I think this is a joke and think people at times speak without even thinking’.

‘In this country we are ranked very high in our level of preparedness for this Covid-19, like I said we are only number in testing in this country and I did not acquire a penny to acquire a laboratory, we did everything through self help’.