Staff of Imo Specialist Hospital(ISH) Tuesday protested the continued 70% payment of staff salaries despite the reversal to 100% by the Emeka Ihedioha administration which reflected in the salaries of civil servants in the state, and pleaded with the current governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma to correct the shortfall once and for all.
Speaking on behalf of the staff, Chairman of the Joint Action Committee(JAC) of Imo Specialist Hospital and state chairman, Guild of Doctors, Dr Elias Anumudu, National Union of Allied Health Professionals(NUAHP) chairman, Dr Henry Nwanguma and National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives(NANNM), Imo Specialist Hospital chapter, Mrs Echendu Justina said when they discovered that civil servants’ salaries were upgraded to 100%, they complained to Ihedioha and even signed a document with him.
But to their greatest surprise, when they were paid their January salaries, 100% was not reflected but still 70%, adding that they suspected foul play from those who handle their payment in the whole arrangement. More worrisome, according them is that the 70% being paid them is that of the old salary grade level of six years ago, 2014 and not of the new grade level of 2018.
Dr Anumudu further informed that they were in the same situation with Imo State University Teaching Hospital but theirs was eventually corrected and that they hoped that that of their hospital would follow up in January 2020, but it was not to be. So, when they heard in a recent statement by Governor Uzodinma that no staff should be paid less than 100% salary, they decided to take up their cross to protest to let him know what their situation has been.
“We are protesting for now, we have not really gone on strike. We started Monday and continued Tuesday. We want the balance to be paid while we negotiate for the arrears accruing from the salaries. And let me make it clear here that no new promotions were made. We were promoted alongside others, so no excuses should be given for the continued shortfall,” he concluded.
