The organized labour has expressed concerns over the disparities in the salaries of health workers in Kogi state.
Speaking at the May Day celebrations in Lokoja on Wednesday, the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Gabriel Amari, called for harmonization of salary disparity in the health sector.
Amari called on Governor Usman Ododo to implement the 2021 revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for veterinary doctors in the state.
“Currently, the state health sector operates under the Revised Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS). However, it is worthy of note that salaries vary among different health institutions within the state.
“For instance, Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Kogi State University Teaching Hospital, and the Health Management Board all have different salary structures. Harmonizing salaries in the health sector would promote equity and uplift the morale of health workers.
“Your Excellency, we passionately request you look into the non-implementation of the revised CONMESS for the state veterinary doctors. This is imperative because, in January 2021, the immediate past Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, approved the implementation of revised CONMESS for doctors in the state civil service. Regrettably, the implementation was done for only medical doctors in the state while the state veterinary doctors were excluded. It is important to note that globally, both medical and veterinary doctors are remunerated equally. Therefore, it is only equitable that they receive same treatment in Kogi state,” he said.
The labour leader implored Governor Ododo to intervene, rectify the disparity and ensure that state veterinary doctors are granted same consideration as their medical doctor counterparts.
