Posted on: Mon 26-09-2022

The National President, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Biobelemoye Josiah, has bemoaned the huge debts being owed the union members through the non-payment of salaries in some states.

Josiah, who lamented that some states had not implemented the N30, 000 minimum wage for medical and health workers despite the rising inflation in the country, charged governors to change their attitude by boosting health workers’ morale for optimal service delivery.

He said a lot more needed to be done by governments at all levels to enable Nigerians to have access to quality health care services.

The MHWUN leader, represented by the Vice President (South-West), Adebisi Olufemi, spoke in Ado Ekiti on Friday during the 2022 International Youth Day celebration/campaign of the South-West, with the theme, “Integrated solidarity: Creating a world for all ages.”

Josiah said, “If you look at the health sector, it is not encouraging. Our concern is the future of our young ones, if the government cannot fix our health system; we wonder what will be the fate of our coming generations.

“We must be sincere that the Federal Government is not doing badly in terms of workers’ welfare, but the unfortunate thing is the attitude of some governors. We have states where governors are owing health workers as much as six months’ salaries. Some have not even implemented the N30,000 minimum wage.”

Also reacting, MHWUN South-West Youth Coordinator, Hannah Ademola-Kuye, called on the government to implement programmes and policies that would enhance the living standard of the youths, saying, “We have to build a nation that protects our youth and does not kill them.”

The Chairman, MHWUN Ekiti State, Femi Ajoloko, urged the youth to take advantage of the various experiences shared by the leaders and resource persons on the occasion to improve their leadership skills.

Ajoloko, while advising the youth, said, “Please don’t be over-ambitious, it is over-ambition that ruined the lives of many today. Let us be content with the little we have so that we can become worthy nation’s leaders.”

The state’s Nigeria Labour Congress Chairman, Olatunde Kolapo, lauded the programme, saying the union was building a better future for itself through the training of the youths.

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