Hospital workers shutdown Owerri over non-payment of 100% salary

Workers of the Imo State Specialist Hospital yesterday staged a serious protest that grounded economic activities in Owerri, the capital city of Imo State.
The hospital workers, who came out in their numbers with placards, causing heavy traffic in the major roads and streets of Owerri, carried out the protest, following the inability of the Imo State government to pay them 100% salary.
Addressing newsmen during the protest, the Chairman, Joint Action Committee (JAC), Imo State Specialist Hospital, Owerri, Dr. Anumudu Elias, said that it was the height of injustice, as workers of the hospital were the only workers in the state that are yet to get 100% salary, saying that the protest will continue until they receive their 100% salary structure.
Dr. Anumudu, who disclosed that they had from partial withdrawal of service from 8am-2pm, stated that they were actually thinking of a total withdrawal from service which he said would happen if the government fails to implement the 100% salary structure as soon as possible.
His words, “we are talking about implementation of 100% salary structure. As long as the payment has not been effected, we will continue to protest.
“We are talking of the immediate implementation of the January salary which was based on 70% salary. The 70% we are talking about is the 70% salary structure before the promotion. The salary we are currently earning is lower than the salary we were earning in 2012. It is an injustice. That is why we are protesting, and we will continue to protest until they attend to our needs. We don’t see the reason they should pay us lower than others”.
Adding her voice, Mrs. Echendu Justina, Chief Nursing Officer, Theatre Department, who said that she was surprised over the treatment being meted out on them by Government, asked the Governor Uzodinma to pay then as soon as possible.
However, the Joint Action Committee, in a letter to the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma captioned, “Restoration of Our Salary to 100%”, read, “In 2014, all workers in Imo State were promoted with effective financial date being 1st of May 2018. Imo State Specialist Hospital Workers were duly promoted and Gen. 35 issued to each worker accordingly as applicable to our counterparts in Imo State University Teaching Hospital, (IMSUTH) Orlu, Local Government Health Workers and Ministry of Health, Imo State.
“However, payment of salaries based on the promotion commenced, but we were excluded. Consequently, in June 2019, there was a restoration of salary to 100% for all Imo workers. Again, we were excluded as the 70% payment continues without any reason. In other words, we were paid 70% of our old salary grade levels. In September 2019, we protested/demonstrated against the injustice, discrimination and marginalization. We demanded for our 100% salary. After negotiations, it was agreed that our 100% salary will be restored as soon as possible alongside that of Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH) Orlu since they had a similar case.
“Consequently, in December, 2019, the 100% salary structure was fully restored in IMSUTH and promotions paid, thus excluding Imo State Specialist Hospital, Owerri, despite our Excellent performance and quality of service delivery in the face of severe shortchange of manpower and equipment. We were again assured that ours will be corrected in January 2020, unfortunately, we were still paid 70% of our old salary grade level. Thus, we reject this unfair treatment and gross injustice.
They however asked the governor to restore their salary to 100% as applicable to their counterparts or colleagues at IMSUTH, Ministry of Health and Local Government Areas, and also pay the balance of their January 2020 salary based on 100% salary structure and their current levels with reference to promotion exercise of May 2018.
Adding her voice, Mrs. Echendu Justina, Chief Nursing Officer, Theatre Department, who said that she was surprised over the treatment being meted out on them by Government, asked the Governor Uzodinma to pay then as soon as possible.