LAGOS – Doctors, under the aegis of the Medical Guild, on Monday extended the strike notice on the
Lagos State Government by four weeks to address all outstanding issues affecting them.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
Dr Biyi Kufo, the Chairman of the guild, told newsmen in Lagos that the extension was based on the state government’s readiness to meet the demands of the doctors.
The guild, which is the association of doctors employed by the state government, had on Dec. 29 issued
21-day ultimatum to the state government to resolve the outstanding issues or face industrial action.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 21-day ultimatum which elapsed on Jan.18 was, however, extended for another four weeks.
Kufo said, “We, recently along with the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State branch, met with the state government officials who appealed to us not to embark on any planned withdrawal of services.
“And, following our deliberations, we directed that in the interest of the public the ultimatum be extended by another four weeks.
“We hope that this period will give the government adequate time to address the issues.“
The chairman also said that only doctors were currently rendering services in the hospitals following the nationwide strike embarked upon by other health workers.
According to him, the guild will not embark on any strike in order not to engender a situation in which health services will be completely unavailable to the public.
“When we withdraw services, it is the public who will suffer the consequence and that is why we are extending the ultimatum to give the government,“ Kufo said.
Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the guild, Dr Salisu Oseni, urged the public including the media to prevail on the state government to keep to its promise to avert strike.
“Members of the public have not been living up to their responsibility by making the state government do the needful on the issues to avert crisis,“ Oseni said.
NAN reports that some of the outstanding issues include employment of casual workers against the union’s position, and truncation of residency training at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
Others were non-payment of outstanding April and May, 2012 salaries; as well as August and September, 2014 salaries. (NAN)