Ondo: Nurses Reject Half Salary, Insist On Full Payment |The Source

By Ayodele Oni

Attempt by the Ondo State Government to meet part of agreements reached with Health workers before they suspended their strike, recently, has backfired as Nurses in  the on the State’s employ, turned down the move to offset their backlog of salaries piecemeal.

The State Government had, last week, offered to pay the Health workers 60 percent of their February salary with the commitment to pay the balance of 40 percent on a later date.

But the Nurses, under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), rejected the payment of 60 percent February 2021 salary to its members.

They expressed their reservation during a parley with the government.

Other Workers Unions in the state were equally invited to the meeting, which was called at the instance of the Government to find solutions to the delay in meeting the monthly obligation.

The Nurses union, in a statement signed by the State Chairman, Mr Olomiye kehinde, and the Secretary, Aina Oluwasegun,  rejected 60 percent salary payment.

The statement explained “In a situation where the available fund cannot pay 100 percent salary, the money should be kept till when full salary can be paid to our members (nurses).

“The act of paying 60 percent salary to our members is unacceptable..

“The leadership of NANNM urges the state government not to pay nurses in percentage henceforth.

“Only 100 percent salary is acceptable as far as the association is concerned.”

It is, however, not clear whether other unions have agreed on behalf of their members to receive 60 percent salary payment.

The State Government had, since last year, commenced payment of workers salary in percentage due to paucity of fund, occasioned by drop in revenue from the federation account.

Although, Government had announced an increase in the internally generated revenue, the astronomical increase in the overhead cost has been draining the resources of government.

Since his inauguration for the second term of office in February, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has been randomly making appointments into his administration with only four Commissioners appointed so far.