Health workers decry disparity in remuneration

[Mirror]

The Medical and Health Workers' Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, has called on the Abia State government to stop the disparity in the remuneration of health workers in some state-owned health institutions.

The affected health institutions are the Abia Hospital Management Board, HMB, and the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, ABSUTH, in Aba.

State Chairman of MHWUN, Chief Uchenna Obigwe, who briefed journalists at the weekend, said the call was one of the major positions taking during the South-East zonal meeting.

The union appealed to Governor Theodore Orji to intervene in the matter, adding that Abia State was the only state where we have disparity in the remuneration of health workers across the country.

"At the HMB and ABSUTH, non-clinical workers are paid the minimum wage rather than the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, CONHESS while the clinical workers are paid Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS.

"The disparity is at variance with the circular from the Salary Income and Wages Commission, SIWC, and also negates the World Health Organisation's recommendation on remuneration of health workers," he said.

The union also called on the management of ABSUTH to remit more than N12 million check-off dues dedicated from salaries of MHWUN members at ABSUTH to the union.

Obigwe said the union frowned at the claim of ABSUTH management that the check-off dues were used to pay workers' salaries.

"The union viewed the claim of the management of ABSUTH as deliberate falsehood because of the record of Governor Theodore Orji on the issue of workers' welfare and labour relations," he added.

The union also commended the governor for approving the payment of CONHESS to health workers in the local government areas since 2012, but appealed for the implementation of the new remuneration without further delay.

The zonal officials of MHWUN said quick intervention of the government on the issues deliberated at the meeting were crucial for industrial harmony in the state.

National Mirror