FG Allocates N74.59bn For Doctors’ Arrears Payment

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, in Abuja on Monday said the Federal Government had allocated N74.59 billion for the payment of doctors’ arrears, a statement said.

The statement, signed by Mr Emmanuel Aziken, Special Assistant on Media to the Minster, said Wogu made the statement a meeting with the executive of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), led by its President, Dr Omed Idris.

Wogu said at the meeting, which also involved the Minister of State (Health), Alhaji Suleiman Bello, that the doctors should call off their ongoing strike since the government had commenced the payment of the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS) as demanded by them.

The minister said the tripartite meeting was a follow-up to an earlier meeting on the strike convened by Vice- President Namadi Sambo.

“Government on its part has delivered on its promise to commence with the payment of CONMESS which is the consolidated medical structure from June 2010,” he said.

Idris confirmed that the Federal Government had commenced the implementation of the new salary scheme for the doctors in June.

He said “the NMA acknowledges that the Federal Government has captured the CONMESS arrears in the supplementary budget currently before the National assembly.

He said the association was joining resident doctors to call off the strike.