Indications have emerged on why the new salary scale is being delayed, contrary to insinuations by Association of Resident Doctors that the Chief Medical Directors of the federal tertiary institutions were stalling the implementation of the Consolidated Salary Scale.

 

Available facts which included documentary evidence received by journalists in Ado-Ekiti indicated that the salary scale was not embedded in the 2015 budget, which had made the implementation in almost all the tertiary hospitals, except the stupendously buoyant ones, very difficult.

 

There are confirmation that the initial opposition of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and non-inclusion of the new pay in the 2015 budget by the Federal Ministry of Health, had stalled full implementation of the grade skipping.

 

A circular dated July 2, 2015, and signed by the Director (Compensation), Mr. Chike Ogbechie, of the Wages Commission and addressed to the Minister of Labour, said the NMA breached universally acceptable procedure by trying to skip CONMESS 2, the entry point for fresh medical officers.

 

The Commission, while giving clarification on the feasibility of the CONMESS 2, added that the office of the Head of Service of the Federation in its meeting of November 4 and December 19, 2013, with stakeholders, did not come out clear on whether the new salary scale should be implemented or not.

 

“So far, the modality for the implementation of CONMESS 2 has not been worked out neither has the relevant scheme of service been amended accordingly. Any attempt to implement the grade skipping on medical officers without the modalities will create confusion and grading absurdities, which will result in unwarranted high cost to government.

 

“The commission therefore counsels patience on this matter and will encourage the Ministry of Health to expedite action on the process of appeal on the grade skipping at the court,” the circular noted.

 

Dailytimes