House to Meet Health Workers over Exclusion from 40% Pay Rise for Public Servants

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila will on Friday,  meet with aggrieved health workers over exclusion by the federal government from the 40 percent pay rise for public servants.

The federal government had approved the payment of the new 40 per cent pay rise for federal civil servants under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS).

The pay rise is believed to not be enjoyed by other federal workers operating under different salary structures, such as university workers and medical doctors, who are under the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure and Consolidated Medical Salary Scale,  respectively.

Coming under matters of personal explanation at the plenary,  yesterday, Hon. Samuel Adejare briefed the House that the policy statement from the federal government that the new salary increase for government workers will not reflect on the salary structure of health workers, especially resident doctors had angered the health workers. 

The doctors, he stated, have given the federal government two weeks to ratify this or face an imminent strike.

Reacting, Gbajabiamila asked Adejare to schedule a meeting with the aggrieved health workers for Friday, by 12:30 Pm at the Speaker’s office.

Also, at the plenary, the adopted a motion by Hon. Mohammed Alkali on need to investigate the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service on the process of producing and dispensing the Nigerian International passport.

Alkali presenting the motion stated that the need for the investigation was due to the fact that monies had been disbursed to the Nigerian Immigration Service for the production of these smart passports and it is yet to fully comply.

He stated that there is also some infringements in the award process of the printing of the passports to a single hand-picked company which is contrary to the procedure of fairness, equity and transparency.

Alkali called on the Nigerian Immigration Service to suspend the contract and that an Ad-Hoc committee should be set up to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding the contract process.

Adopting the motion, the membership of the Ad-Hoc committee to investigate the issue was announced and it is to be chaired by Hon. Hafis Kawu.

The committee is to turn in its report within 10 calendar days.

Meanwhile at the plenary, the lawmakers adopting a motion sponsored by Hon. Idem Unyime, urging the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to complete abandoned hospitals and road projects in Ukanafun local government area of Akwa Ibom State.

The lawmakers also urged the NDDC to include hospitals and road projects in the 2023 Niger Delta Development Commission Budget, and as well mandated the Committee on NDDC to ensure compliance and report back within two weeks for further legislative action.