Ngige Appeals To NMA, JOHESU For Fruitful Negotiations On Hazard Allowance

MINISTER of Labor and Productivity, Chris Ngige, has appealed to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and JOHESU to sheath their swords so that negotiations on the hazard allowance can be concluded.

As the federal government and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) continues their negotiation on the proposed new hazard allowance for doctors working in government-owned hospitals this week.

 Senator Chris Ngige, made this appeal sfter a marathon meeting of the Presidential Committee on Salaries with the leadership of NMA and its affiliates on the review of the hazard allowance in the health sector.

Ngige recalled that they started this discussion with all the health workers in March but along the line, NMA disagreed on fundamental principles of negotiation with the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).

He also recalls that had NMA requested that the discussion should be compartmentalized, which is allowed in Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Ngige said, “when people who are not doing the same work are negotiating an interest, if they decide to be separated, it can be done, but that will put a lot of load on the negotiator.”

He however appealed to the NMA and JOHESU to sheath their swords to enable the conclusion of discussion on the matter before the end of this September.

Ngige said, “If we do so, it is to your own advantage because it has to be captured in the 2022 budget. Government will also look at its purse and if there is money, the President will sign and it will be a win-win situation for all of us.

“Last week we discussed it with JOHESU. We had a fruitful discussion. It is in that spirit that I am asking you that this should be fruitful, so that we can rest the issue of paying N5000 hazard allowance