Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje says his administration will not opt for negotiated settlement with non-medical workers who dragged the government before a court, regarding slashing of their salaries.
Governor Ganduje argued that since it was not the state government that instituted legal proceedings against the purportedly aggrieved workers, it had no business succumbing to an out-of-court settlement.
The governor, who said this while responding to a speech by the national president, Medical and Health Workers of Nigeria, Biobelomoye Joy Josiah, during a courtesy visit in Kano, explained that the decision to regularise the salaries of non-professional workers in the health sector, in line with what obtained in the mainstream Civil Service, was done in good faith.
“Since they are not doctors or medical and health workers, and indeed they do not belong to your association, we said they should get what they rightfully deserve, to enable us save money to meet competing demands, in light of the present recession,” the governor said.
Ganduje maintained that in most states, paying non-profession cadre of workers in the health sector at par with professionals was no longer feasible, thus there was no reason why Kano should be an exception.
Ganduje, who stressed commitment towards promoting the welfare of workers, said already plans had been finalised for the take-off of the state Contributory Health Care Scheme.
He also said billions of naira were being spent in constructing health infrastructure and provision of hospital equipment, while huge amount of money was being spent in renovating health institutions in the state such as the School of Health Technology, Bebeji, School of Nursing Madobi, and the School of Hygiene, Kano.
“Very soon, we are going to inaugurate 1,000 Sanitation Vanguards who will be going round our homes to inspect the hygienic conditions, as part of our resolve to prevent the spread of diseases and ensure healthier environment, while Mr. President had agreed to commission our two completed mega hospitals at Giginyu and Zoo Road,” the governor said.
Earlier, Biobelomoye Joy Josiah, who doubles as the president, Joint Health Sector Union of Nigeria, told the governor that executives of his association were in Kano to attend the 40th session of Tertiary Health Institutions National Consultative Forum meeting.
While expressing appreciation to the governor for intervening and resolving workers crisis at Dala Orthopedic Hospital, Kano, he appealed to the governor to settle amicable with non-professionals in the health sector in Kano, who were in court challenging the downward review of their salary by the state government.
“The fact that you are paying salaries duly and you have recruited about 2,700 health professionals in recent times, is very commendable and worthy of emulation by other governors in the country,” he said.
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