FG to review allowances of medical workers – Egbule

The Federal Government on Wednesday promised to review allowances of
medical workers, Chief Richard Egbule, the Chairman, National
Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, said.
Egbule said this when members of the Nigerian Medical Association, led by its National President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
He said the medical practitioners in Nigeria had always enjoyed more
privileges in terms of good salary packages than most government
workers because of the sensitivity and complexity of their job.
He said: “You have a package no one shares with you, if you will agree with the commission.
“We will set up a committee to look into the Consolidated Medical
Salary Structure and its Associated Allowances for Medical and Dental
Practitioners and make the necessary corrections.
“I don’t have any personal interest to deny you anything or give you
what you don’t deserve but you have no reason to collect allowances
for those who do not deserve it.
“It is not all health workers who work in the hospitals or the medical lecturers that perform the same professional duties.
“Therefore, they can only be paid what is due to them but we will look into it and make corrections.”
Egbule said a committee would be set up to look into how some
corrections could be made in the new salary structure to favour the
NMA.
Earlier, Enabulele had requested for correction in the CONMESS on the
grounds that the correction made in the new minimum wage had put most
health workers at disadvantage.
The NMA also complained that the duty call allowance of its member
became reduced once they were promoted to the next level.
The medical practitioners said the take home pay of a grade level 17
medical practitioner should be increased to be the same with the
judges in the federal civil service.
Enabulele said: “The NMA agreed with the Federal Government that
whenever there is an increase in salary, such allowances as call duty, health professional non-clinical duty, special and clinical duty will be raised with the same proportion or rate.
“This was not given expression in the implementation of the new minimum wage.
“It is our wish that this agreement be respected whenever salaries are adjusted.
“There are doctors who are employed as university health service
lecturers and some strictly academic lecturers but the circular from
the commission has made such lecturers not to be remunerated for what
they do.”