Some personnel of the Nigerian Army (NA) Medical Corps, one of the many arms in the service, on Monday [Sept. 8] embarked on a strike to protest the alleged non-payment of their salaries.
According to THISDAY, the striking doctors embarked on the industrial action after their two-week strike notice was allegedly disregarded by the authorities, who refused to pay their salaries since their appointments six months ago. The grouse of the striking doctors was based on allegations of not being paid what is due them after they were given their appointment letters by the Ministry of
Defence (MoD) since February of this year.
Clarifying issues, one of the striking doctors who asked not to be name said those onstrike are the house officers and interns who have been starved of their salaries and yet expected to function optimally. He said the issue of non-payment of salary had been a recurring problem, but they have resolved not to return to work unless they are paid all their entitlements.
The strike notice read in part, “This is to notify you that we the house officers and interns employed by the Ministry of Defence, Nigeria having; considered the refusal of the ministry to pay up salaries since our appointments six months ago. “Their insensitivity to our plights and various pleas to resolve this salary issue amicably; refusal to disburse pay slip before payment of salaries and
inability to meet up with the two weeks deadline of payment given to us by them”.
Meanwhile, probably due to the lacuna created by the striking doctors, the NA has already commenced recruiting interested candidates to fill the vacancy in the medical corps as well as other arms.
The recruitment exercise which was made public last week, called on the public and all interested qualified candidates for the 72 Regular Recruits Intake for both trades and non-tradesmen and women from September 8 to October 18. In a memo signed by the Chief of Administration of the NA, Major General G.A. Wahab, it said interested candidates should apply online at the recruitment portal www.narecruitment.org, using a recruitment e-voucher purchased with a bank card
issued by any Nigerian bank.
Attempts by THISDAY to reach the Director of Army Public Relations (DAPRI), Brigadier General Laleye Jide, proved abortive as he did not pick the calls put across to him, neither did he reply to the text message sent to him as at press time.
72RRI Recruitment started Monday 8th September and will end Saturday 18th October 2014. http://t.co/1M5HbIjsb3 pic.twitter.com/dD5AYbPGAT
— Nigerian Army (HQ) (@HQNigerianArmy) September 8, 2014
The post Nigerian Army Medical Corps Doctors Embark On Strike To Protest Non-Payment Of Salary appeared first on .