By Simon Ebegbulem
BENIN—THE Edo State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, yesterday, expressed worry over the alleged failure of the state government to engage the striking health workers in the state in a meaningful dialogue to bring to an end the one week old strike action.

They called on the state government to quickly put to use the over N750million appropriated in the 2009 budget, which according to them rolled over to the 2010 budget for the rehabilitation of the Central Hospital, Benin City.

It will be recalled that activities in the state government owned hospitals in the state had been paralyzed in the past one week, following a strike action embarked upon by health workers in the state over alleged refusal of the state government to implement the new salary structure for health workers.

The state Chairman of the NMA, Dr Osahon Enabulele, who addressed newsmen in Benin City, pointed out that the cost  of the implementing  the CONMESS salary structure in the 2010 budget was incorporated in the 2010 budget and expressed concern over the seeming delay by the state government to implement it.

He recalled, “the height of our engagement with the state government was on    December 27, 2009 during the luncheon organised by our association.  On that fateful day, following the request of the state NMA, the  Governor publicly declared that the state government would fully implement the new salary structure for health workers immediately the 2010 state budget was passed by the state House of Assembly.

“The worries of health workers in the Edo State Hospitals Management Board were further compounded when series of letters written by the health workers were not replied by government,” he added.