By Correspondent in Ilorin.
Members of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), Kwara branch on Monday embarked on seven-day warning strike across the 16 local Government area of the state.
Dr. Saka Agboola, Chairman of the association, stated this during a press conference on the sideline of an emergency Congress by the association in Ilorin.
Agboola explained that the association had been patient and given series of ultimatum to the state government concerning the agitation for improvement of the welfare of its members.
According to him,as much as it is painful for the executives to reach such decision, the congress has however unanimously agreed on a seven-day warning strike.
He said the strike was to give room for engagement with the government on some of the agitation of the association,including good conditions of service, especially in the payment of new renumeration to the members of the union.
“We are not this form of pressure group, but it has got to a point that the wellbeing of doctors in Kwara has to be seriously looked into.
“We have responsibilities to our families, our neighbours and even to our patients. There is need to remunerate the doctors to get efficient output.
“This is the more reason why we have engaged several fora at very opportunity to resolve our demands , but it is unfortunate that at the expiration of the ultimates given, we have not being able to reach a comfortable agreement,” he said.
Agboola expressed the hope that the one week strike action would afford the government opportunity to re-engage the association.
Reacting to the development, Mr Sa’ad Aluko, the Director General (DG) of the Kwara State Hospital Management Bureau, observed that the government had been making effort to resolve the demands of the doctors.
He stated that it was only a question of time, adding that the state government met with the leadership of the association to look at ways to reach a resolution.
According to him, the state government has already agreed to 70 per cent increase out of the 100 percent being agitated by the association.
“Based on the total algorithm and internally generated revenue, everything has to be looked into,” he said.
Aluko also disclosed that the state government had set up a committee to look at a balance “between what is being requested for and what is on ground.”
He added that the government was also confronted with various agitations for the Nigeria Labour Union and must strike a balance, while assuring that government had employed additional healthcare workers in the state hospital.
