The Periscope reporter
The Ministry of Health tagged “Non Health Workers” in the hospitals; specifically, members of staff of Admin and Finance departments who are disappointed and felt betrayed over covid-19 inducement allowance, are working on withdrawal from the membership of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and the Medical and Health Workers’ Union.
The aggrieved members in some hospitals have since started compiling the name of the willing to the non aligned movement.
The frustration was instigated by insinuations that the JOHESU leadership was either out of foolishness, hoodwinked or betrayal, mortgaged a worthy cause, which spelt “all for one, one for all,” and an injury to one, is an injury to all”.
JOHESU is a composite of all professional unions within the hospital with the exception of medical doctors.
The JOHESU leadership was alleged to have signed a smuggled document that considered some categories of staff in the hospital as non health workers, hence must not enjoy the approved 50% of their salaries as covid-19 allowance for three months.
The workers in the given category are staff with the departments of finance and administration who are paid10% in the entire hospitals that received covid-19 allowance, with the exception of ABUTH.
There have been protests in various hospitals across the country, against what is considered as imbalance, partiality, inequality, discrimination, discrepancy and action lacking moral reason, crudely defeaning sensibility.
Efforts to reach out to the national chairman of the JOHESU, Comrade Josiah Biobelemoye for comment by the Periscope reporter was fruitless.
However, JOHESU Josiah Tuesday, cleared himself from the allegations of signing 10% for other health workers, which the ministry of health is classifying as non health professionals, in an interview with AIT.
The salient issues Josiah the JOHESU National Chairman pointed out can be summarised thus:
* That the Minister of Labour said the 10 % is for those in the ministry of health that are posted from the pool office from other ministry to the ministry of health secretariat, who do not enjoy the N5,000 hazard.
* That the Minister of health agreed that all workers in the health sector who enjoy the N5,000 hazard allowance will also benefit from the 50% inducement hazard allowance.
* That all workers in health sector are health workers but only could be classified as medical and non medical professionals.
* That circular issued by the Ministry of Health is not part of the agreement signed initially.
* That JOHESU leadership has written to the FG to do the needful on the discrimination in percentage of payment and CONHESS adjustment among others and will take action when the time elapses.
JOHESU members are therefore urged to remain calm and ignore any rumour that at divide and rule, as united the members stand and the union remains resolute in protecting their interest.
The 50% covid-19 inducement allowance paid to all categories of staff in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital ABUTH raised question as to why the 50%/10% discrepancy and discrimination in other hospitals?