The Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunmimbe Mamora, on Wednesday disclosed that the Federal Government plans to begin the implementation of the new hazard allowance scale for medical and health workers in 2022.
The minister disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja.
The Nigerian Medical Association and the Joint Health Workers Union have constantly been engaged in industrial actions over the increment of hazard allowances which the Federal Government pegged at N5,000.
Mamora in an interview with our correspondent, however, said the Federal Government had been involved in series of talks with health workers.
He said, “We have been involved in meetings with medical doctors led by the mother association which is the NMA under which we have NARD, the doctors in academics, the consultants and also with the nurses, the laboratory scientists and other health workers who were led by JOHESU.
“We have also signed some agreements and the money has been captured in the 2022 appropriation budget. So, it is not out of place to say the implementation will begin in 2022.
“The government understands that the hazard allowance of N5,000 naira is ridiculous and we are doing our best to make sure that health workers are well taken care of.”
When asked if the government had fixed a specific amount for the allowance, Mamora said it had not yet but added that it would be something higher than N5,000.
Punch