Demand immediate payment of  COVID-19 incentives

By Chioma Obinna

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals, NUAP, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna has described as unfortunate and most disheartening the statement credited to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire,  claiming he was not aware of any hazard allowance collected by health workers and that their duty was the same even in the face of COVID-19.

According to Ogbonna, the health minister made the statement while speaking during a joint parliament on the issue of hazard allowance for health workers.

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Ogbonna said: “The Honourable Minister, who ought to defend hazard allowance for health workers that have placed their lives and that of their family in harm’s way since the epidemic of Lassa fever through the pandemic of COVID-19, claims ignorant of the need to enhance the hazard allowance of health workers.

“As of today, Nigeria has recorded 188 deaths from Lassa fever, yet the Honourable Minister claims  that he is unaware that health workers hazard allowance is N5,000.”

He described the statement as most unfortunate and a potent recipe for industrial unrest in the health sector.

He called on the government to implement without delay all the various incentives as announced by the finance minister on the 5th of April 2020.

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