…By Emma Okereke
Owerri.
Medical Doctors in Imo State will on Monday June 16, this year start a three-day warning strike to protest nonpayment of 10 months’ salary arrears owed its members by the Imo State Government.
The protest which is under the aegis of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) is contained in a press statement by the Chairman and Secretary of NMA, Dr. Emeka Obioha and Dr. Mark Okhueleigbe respectively.
The statement said that the action is a follow up to a 21 day ultimatum beginning from June 9, after which the association will commence an indefinite industrial action.
According to the release the NMA is demanding the payment of 10 month’s salary arrears by the State Government being owed its members working at the Imo State Specialist Hospital Umuguma Owerri and those who were working there previously but have been transferred to other general hospitals across the State.
The association is also demanding that the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owerri should pay the outstanding one month salary being owed the out gone house officers in the Hospital in line with the directive of the Federal Ministry of Health, as well as, the payment of the full February salary of the current set of house officers.
NMA equally condemned a letter emanating from FMC Owerri which stated that house officers were not members of Association of Resident Doctors in the Hospital and demanded a retraction of the letter.
The Association therefore called on the people of Imo State to prevail on the state government and the management of FMC to comply with their demands.