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LUTH Resident Doctors Begin Indefinite Strike
The Association of Resident Doctors, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, on Friday embarked on an indefinite strike over non-payment of outstanding salaries and allowances.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the association was also demanding for the payment of outstanding arrears owed house officers, resident doctors, and residency training fees.
Other issues, they are seeking interventions include the lack of resident doctors and house officers across all units and better lighting in the dark portions within the hospital environment.
NAN reports that resident doctors and house officers had staged a peaceful protest on May 22 followed with a two-day warning strike on the same issues.
Dr. Kayode Makinde, President, LUTH ARD, told NAN on Friday that the hospital management had not called leaders of ARD for another meeting after the warning strike.
Makinde said ARD executives had no option than to embark on the indefinite strike, adding that members of the association would not resume work until all their demands were met.
According to him, 65 house officers were being owed between one and five months’ salaries.
“With the present numbers of house officers (177), it means one out of three house officers is currently being owed salaries.
“House officers are not enrolled on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System platform so what is the reason for the perennial delay in payment of their salaries?
“House officers are bona fide members of the association of resident doctors LUTH.
“As of today, there are 255 resident doctors in LUTH; between 2014 and 2015, there were 547 resident doctors in LUTH.
“So, 86 resident doctors are being owed one to three months salaries on the IPPIS platform.
“Some have their pension funds credited with deductions from both employers and employees,” he said.
Makinde said that no resident doctor in LUTH has been sponsored for examinations and update courses in five years, and LUTH is the only centre in Nigeria in this regard.
“The residential quarters of doctors and house officers are still in darkness in spite of the availability of 24 hours of power supply in the hospital.
“The No Work, No Pay policy is currently a subject of litigation at the National Industrial Court. Will the LUTH management hold the court in contempt?
“This is a clarion call to all resident doctors and house officers of LUTH to cooperate because together we can achieve and get our demands,” he said.
When contacted, Prof. Olufemi Fasanmade, the Chairman, LUTH Medical Advisory Committee told NAN that the present agitation started when the association demanded the withdrawal of the administrative query given to some of its members.
Fasanmade said LUTH management does not employ resident doctors and house officers, noting that each of these cadres was admitted periodically for training under specific rules.
“Admission into each of these training programmes is based on extant approvals from the appropriate government agencies.
“It is, therefore, not the call of ARD to dictate when or how trainees are being admitted.
“Currently, 189 house officers are on our payroll; LUTH has enough house officers for the care of about 400 patients on admission.
“LUTH management had secured assurances from a corporate organization to install bright LED streetlights within the premises.
“LUTH owes no salaries to any resident doctor; rather, IPPIS does, as no money was paid to LUTH for any resident doctor salary,” he said.
Fasanmade also said that LUTH management and representatives of LUTH management met with the ARD leadership two weeks ago during their warning strike.
“Specifically, the representative of the board chairman reminded ARD that most of the issues it tabled were not within the control of the hospital.
“It will be conveyed to the appropriate authorities and implore them to tow the path of peace and not disturb or try to disrupt essential services in LUTH.
“The general public is hereby assured that the hospital will be opened for business and no services will be shut down in LUTH,” he said.
SaharaReporters
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The Christmas/End of Year party of the Igbobi College Old Boys Association (ICOBA) was filled with excitement, pomp and pageantry as the 84-86 set celebrated its 40th anniversary of leaving the school.
The highlight of the event was the donation of N20 million from the set’s endowment to serve as a seed fund for the national body’s endowment through the National ICOBA. The donation was received by Mr Femi Banwo, President ICOBA International and Mr Kunle Elebute, Chairman ICOBA National Endowment Committee
The 84-86 set’s Board of Trustees Endowment Committee had established an independent endowment in 2009 with a vision to create a lasting legacy for the set. Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the ICOBA 84-86 Board of Trustees and Endowment Committee, Dr. Falil Ayo Abina, expressed his delight, stating that it was a dream come true.
Dr. Abina explained that one of the core lessons learned at Igbobi College was “self-denial.”
He reminisced about the Self-Denial Fund (SDF), where students were taught to contribute their weekly “widow’s mite” to share with the less privileged in society. Dr. Abina emphasized that when the endowment committee conceived the idea of the endowment 15 years ago, they had this legacy in mind, aiming to serve a purpose greater than self.
The donation of N20 million to the national endowment is expected to inspire others within the alumni and other school alumni associations to follow suit.
This generous donation is the first in ICOBA’s history and arguably in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.
The 13-member endowment committee, also include Demola Ipaye, Fola Laguda, Gbenga Aina, Demola Oladeinde, Jimi Onanuga, Abayomi Alabi, Kwami Adadevoh, Bayo Ayoade, Tunde Sadare, Wole Ogunbajo, Tunji Akinwummi, and Lanre Olusola, worked tirelessly to make this vision a reality and it was indeed mission accomplished for the ‘Nobles Nigerians ‘ as Igbobians are called.
The recent US presidential election should be praised for its credibility and peaceful conduct. The election serves as a model for Nigeria, highlighting the importance of free, fair and transparent polls, according to the publisher of online platform, Bluefames Media, Mr. Victor Udoh
The US election saw Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, emerge victorious over Democrat, vice president Kamala Harris. Trump secured 270 electoral votes, surpassing Harris’s votes.
While congratulating Trump on his victory, Udoh noted that the election’s smooth process, devoid of issues like ballot box snatching, violence and technical glitches.
In contrast, Nigeria’s electoral process often faces challenges, including delays, vote-buying and disputes over results, he lamented. Udoh emphasized the need for Nigeria to learn from the US example, ensuring credible elections that reflect the will of the people.
He said: “Nigerians and the international community monitored the outcomes of the US election. You could see that the US electoral process demonstrates the value of credible and peaceful elections, which experience Nigeria can draw lessons from to improve its own electoral system.
“By embracing transparency, accountability and peaceful conduct, Nigeria can strengthen its democracy and ensure governance that truly represents the people’s will.”
Udoh, a publicist and motivator, pointed out that learning from the US experience, Nigeria can address its electoral weaknesses and foster a more robust democracy, which in turn, can lead to better governance, economic growth and improved living standards for Nigerians.
“Nigeria must prioritize electoral reform and transparency to ensure that its citizens’ voices are heard and valued,” he stressed.
He, however, warned that “a second Trump term may have significant implications for global issues like dollar value, immigration, energy and geopolitical stability.”
Victor Udoh is the publisher of online platform, Bluefames Media
