Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has approved a five per cent pay rise for the state’s health workers.
The increment, he said, was for all health workers, including laboratory technicians, nurses and midwives.
The state government, earlier in the month, had raised doctors’ pay too by five per cent.
Gov. Oshiomhole, whose tenure ends later this year, announced the pay rise when members of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) visited him at the Government House, Benin City, the state capital.
He said: “I asked you to come over because I know that two years ago, we had a wage review based on certain criteria which you preferred to call 90 per cent. But for me, that was what we were willing to pay and able to pay at that time. I did say that when the situation improved, we would look at it and make some further upward adjustment.
“At that time, our main source of revenue, which is oil, was at about $60, $70 and $80 dollars per barrel. But today, it is hovering around $30 per barrel, but certainly under $40. Nobody knows what it is going to be next. However, I do recognise that for us to maintain our integrity in the eyes of our workers, when promises have been made in good faith, as much as possible, we should try to keep those promises.
“It is no secret that Nigeria’s economy is in a crisis. We are burdened not only by low price of crude oil; we are also saddled with massive looting and diversion from public treasury at the federation level.
“If you have been reading the news, as I have in the print and electronic media, it is now established that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) did not remit as much as N3.2 trillion to the Federation Account under Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Minister of Finance. These bare the issues we have been talking about”.
This Oshiomole should be mindful of his speech. Why was he concerned about Iweala if not that he is politically on a vague mission -which will certainly not hold water. In fact, his aspertion being cast against Iweala is not only unprofessional, it is also unfounded. If only because of salary palava he is making noise, then that is a daft senseless governor speaking senselessly without any sense of caution. Iweala had proved her worth to global endorsements. God bless Iweala, God bless Nigeria!
It is obvious that, it was this El Rufai Puppet Master that sent Adams Oshiomole and a host of others to attack Iweala with their bad heart. Since Aboki El Rufai wanted to hijack African School of Science and Technology for his religious terrorism agenda for Nigeria, but Okonjo among a few patriotic Nigerians stood against it, then he is now trying to raise hired accusers on Iweala. Oshiomole’s reasoning is dwindling fast already! Oga go and sit down!