The National Association Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Federal Health Institution (NANNM-FHI) sector, has decried the exclusion of its members in the recent 40% pay increment for federal workers.
The Association expressed its displeasure in a statement issued yesterday by its National Chairman, Morakinyo-Olajide Rilwan.
Rilwan said the attention of nurses and midwives in FHI of Nigeria has been drawn to the commencement of 40% peculiar allowance salary increase for workers in the Federal Government establishment with outright exclusion of its members, which he described as an aberration and attempt to cause problems in the system.
He noted that nurses and other health workers have been calling for salary adjustment since 2016, with several committees set up to this effect, whose reports are yet to see the light of the day.
He also recalled that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, had earlier said that the pay raise was to justify Nigeria’s current economic reality.
Rilwan quoted Ngige as saying “the pay rise for Federal Government workers is to cushion the effects of inflation, rising cost of living, hike in transportation fare, housing and electricity tariff.”
Accordingly, he insisted that the federal government has no justification to exclude some sections of civil servants, especially in the health sector from the salary increment since everyone, including the Association’s members patronise the same market and pay the same bills.
He said the action comes amid mass exodus of nurses and midwives from the country for greener pastures with the aftermath of increased workload on the few nurses on ground.
The last time Consolidated Health Salary Scale (CONHESS) was adjusted was in 2010, and most of the allowances due to nurses were being short paid…
Rilwan said: “Instead of motivating those health workers, who have agreed to stay in the country to salvage the health system by this pay rise, the best thing the government could do was to exclude nurses.
“The last time Consolidated Health Salary Scale (CONHESS) was adjusted was in 2010, and most of the allowances due to nurses were being short paid; for instance, the 30% shift allowance with less than 10% being paid to nurses.
“Many things are causing agitation, including the Nurses Special Salary Structure.
“However, we are just getting the news this weekend and we are studying the situation while consultation with relevant stakeholders is ongoing, especially our parent body.
“But the fact is that our members are not happy with the exclusion and we cannot continue keeping quiet. Nurses have suffered enough neglect and deprivation as front line workers in the health sector,” he said.
Rilwan said that NANNM is happy that civil servant salaries were increased, but would resist such exclusion for its members if steps are not taken toward correcting the anomaly.
He said the Association has remained calm over time despite the series of neglect and the government has taken that for granted, but this time around, it was not easy calming members down as they are ready to take action.
He also warned that NANNM would resist any form of deprivation in the health sector, especially in the area of remuneration, training and policy making.