Benjamin Babine, Abuja
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has disclosed that the Federal Government will from next week, commence the payment of June hazard allowance for medical personnel handling the COVId-19 pandemic.
Ngige who made this known in Abuja after a meeting between with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), stated that despite the shortfall in revenue, the government would start the payment with six hospitals, while expecting more funds.
Regarding the Residency Training for doctors, the Minister disclosed that the Ministry of Health and the Budget Office of the Federation, working with the Ministry of Finance, had rectified the problem in the budget saying that the processing would commence soon.
Ngige said that Teaching Hospitals and Medical Centres had been directed to submit to the Health Ministry the list of names of their personnel who had some hitches in receiving their payments. He added that the names would then be forwarded to IPPIS from there.
He added that the issue of shortfall in payments had also been dealt with, as the names of the affected persons would be compiled and forwarded to the Ministry of Finance.
Ngige revealed that the case of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) had been amicably resolved, with the Chief Medical Director bringing back the interdicted Resident Doctors.
According to him, the two factors thrown up by the crisis in that local chapter of NARD had merged peacefully. “Elections have been conducted to elect an interim executive to man the affairs of that chapter till December 2020, after which a fresh election would hold for a new executive that would take over in 2021.”
He congratulated the interim government in UPTH headed by Dr Solomon Amadi, and commended the Peace Committee for brokering peace successfully and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) for superintending over the election.
Also speaking, the President of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Aliyu Sokomba, noted that although a few issues were still pending, significant progress had really been made in addressing the concerns of NARD.
He appreciated the efforts of the Federal Government side led by Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.