Protesting Doctors Storm Osun Assembly over Salary Arrears

The House of Assembly in Osun State was on Tuesday February 16, 2016 thrown into confusion as doctors under the umbrella of Nigerian Medical Association protested at the complex demanding for the payment of their outstanding salaries by the state government.

The doctors who have embarked on the industrial strike action since September 28, 2015 demanded that the state government should pay their salaries and also accede to the rest of their demands.

The protesters were armed with placards with different inscriptions such as: “save our souls,” “pay our salaries” and “doctors are suffering,” among others.

The striking doctors marched from the popular OSAMDO house to the state House of Assembly Complex, where they were received by the lawmakers, led by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Akintunde Adegboye.

The doctors said they were worried that the lawmakers have failed to intercede since the whole crisis started in the health sectors.

The State Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Suraj Ogunyemi lamented the level of hardship being faced by the doctors due to the non-payment of their salaries since september 2015, warning that the private medical sector will be forced to join the strike, if nothing is done.

Ogunyemi said NMA Osun was constrained to embark on a three-day sympathy strike which begins today.

He said that the protest will also involve all doctors working with Federal Teaching Hospitals in the state.

Addressing the protesters, the Deputy Speaker House of Assembly, Hon Akintunde Adegboye appealed to the doctors and said the house will look into the matter.

He called on the executive members of the NMA to come for dialogue so as, to find a final solution to the problem.