The Lagos State Government has recalled the 788 doctors in its employ that it sacked.
Reports have it that the state government announced the decision via a statement on Thursday evening.
Details are still sketchy as to the content of the agreement with the doctors who were sacked for embarking on a strike to demand for better pay and reduction in taxes paid.
The Public Relations Officer of the state’s Ministry of Health, Jide Lawal, told The Eagle Online he has also heard of the recall but did not have details.
Lawal promised to revert as soon as he gets further details.
A statement by Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola’s Special Adviser (Media), Hakeem Bello, reads in full: Following the appeals and entreaties by national and state leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society groups and well meaning Nigerians, the State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) after consultation with the Health Service Commission has suspended the dismissal of the striking medical doctors in the State’s public service.
Former Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who brought representations from the party leadership to the State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) at Lagos House, Alausa said in an interview with State House Correspondents later that he met Governor Fashola and during the meeting on Thursday, he agreed to suspend the sack after consulting the Health Service Commission.
Asiwaju Tinubu added that the party and its leaders feel that the Governor should approach the contending issues with the sacked doctors with more flexibility as a leader of all.
“I have brought the appeal of all the leadership of the party and well meaning Nigerians and other organisations who are committed to the welfare of our people for him to be more flexible, for him to really look at the issue of the doctors on strike critically and I can announce to you that he has agreed to suspend the question of the dismissal of those doctors”, Asiwaju Tinubu stated.
Governor Fashola who also spoke with newsmen at the briefing thanked the party and its leaders and leaders of Labour Organisations especially the Nigeria Labour Congress for playing intercessory role in this matter and all the well meaning people on both sides that have chosen to mediate rather than to take sides.
The Governor reiterated that the issues are disputes about institutions and nothing more and how both parties could work together to provide better healthcare adding: “One could not hear those appeals and also the appeals of the ordinary people of the state and remain unmindful of all the responses to them.”
The State Governor informed that in the light of these developments he has consulted with the Health Service Commission who have assured him that the issue of dismissal will be suspended immediately, saying, it is now left for the doctors to return to their locations and to regularize their status with the Health Service Commission.
“I hope that in the interest of our people, they will seize this opportunity of this olive branch and let us get on with developmental work that we are tasked with at this time. Once again, I want to thank all the officials for their support, for their appeals, advice and counsel. I assure them that we remain committed to providing the best service to the people”, the Governor reiterated.
Speaking with newsmen, the former Governor said he has not seen any issue of point of no return in the case and since people are the cornerstone of the progressive policy of the state, he would thank the Governor for looking at it from the point of view of the people, the general public concerned and it’s now left for the doctors to reciprocate the gesture by returning to work, appealing to them to immediately resume their work in earnest and forget this intractable position.
The former Governor who said he would not want to make any further comment until all parties have respected the outcome adding that: “All along the Governor has not been impossible, it’s a question of the institution that we all have developed, he has repeated it several times, the hiring and firing of the doctors is in the hands of the Health Service Commission.
“I am very much aware of it and I have to understand him. I have reviewed with even the Honourable Commissioner concerned and I don’t see any area that is irresolvable to avoid outright dismissal.
“I don’t see why we can’t resolve it and he has agreed to be more flexible and be more accommodating and be the leader for all. From the leadership of the party and the state, I want to thank him specifically for that understanding this afternoon.”