FG offers health workers higher hazard allowance

03 Jun FG offers health workers higher hazard allowance

The Federal Government has offered health workers in the country between 350 to 600 per cent increase in their hazard allowance.

The government offered junior health workers 350 per cent rise and their senior colleagues 600 per cent.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen Chris Ngige announced the offer after a meeting between the Federal Government and representatives of all professional bodies and unions in the health sector on Tuesday at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Ngige said the Federal Government has agreed in principle to increase the retirement age of doctors and other health workers from 60 to 65 years and 70 years for consultants.

In a statement issued by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan, on Wednesday, Ngige said. “The Government side gave them that offer based on the reality that we have on ground, that the economy is not doing very well and the capital component of the budget is actually being funded on borrowing. The earnings of the Government have also drastically gone down.

“So, they are going back to their people with the government offer and they asked for two weeks adjournment to enable them to conclude consultation with their members and report back to us.”

The statement explained that the meeting agreed that the offers be left open until both parties go back for consultations with their members and return in two weeks’ time for further negotiations.

The meeting was attended by Ministers of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora; Clem Agba (Budget and Planning) and Festus Keyamo (Labour and Employment).

Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Health, Alhaji Abdulaziz Abdulahi and his Labour and Employment counterpart, Peter Yerima Tarfa were also there.