Bayelsa Teachers Threaten Indefinite Strike Over N30,000 Minimum Wage

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has threatened to commence indefinite strike in public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa over the N30,000 minimum wage and promotion arrears. The union took the decision at an executive meeting on October 12, after an earlier three-day warning strike failed to compel the Bayelsa Government to act. The teachers had given a 14-day ultimatum to the government and local councils to address the plight of teachers across the state or face industrial action.  The grievances, according to the NUT, include inability of both state and local governments to implement the N30,000 minimum wage and effect promotion of primary school teachers in the state.    The union said teachers were meted with untold hardships due to the non payment of promotion arrears to the teachers. NUT expressed dissatisfaction with government’s continuous negligence of the plight of teachers who played critical role in the state, in spite of engaging them at different fora in futility. The union said the attitude of government had brought nothing but humiliation and frustration to primary and secondary school teachers in the state.   It said the 14-day ultimatum took effect from, October 13 after failure to address the issues within the limit of the ultimatum would force teachers in the state to go on strike. The strike notice was ratified by the constituent eight local government branches of NUT in Bayelsa.  Signatories to the communique after the meeting included chairmen of LG branches of the union. Meanwhile, Dr Gentle Emelah, Bayelsa Commissioner for Education, declined comments when contacted as he did not respond to telephone calls and messages requesting for government’s clarification. Schools in Bayelsa had vacated on August 29 due to expected flood and are slated to resume on November 13.

Elevator Tragedy: NMA declares indefinite strike in Lagos hospitals

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos branch, has directed medical doctors in three government hospitals on Lagos Island to embark on an indefinite strike over the death of its member, Dr Diaso Vwaere. The directive is contained in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary of NMA in the state, Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu and Dr Ajibowo Ismail, on Wednesday in Lagos. Vwaere, a medical house officer with the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos, died on August 1, owing to the injuries sustained when the elevator she was in crashed from the 10th floor of the hospital building. NMA directed the doctors at the General Hospital, Odan; Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, and Massey Street Children’s Hospital to embark on the strike until investigations into the cause of the death were completed and justice served. “The information we got was that she was trapped in the elevator for more than 40 minutes before she was rescued. “We were also reliably informed that there was no blood available for resuscitation, and this has become a recurring issue as a result of the review made by the government on the previous policy on blood donation. “To us, this was an avoidable death and it’s unfortunate that it was allowed to happen. We are pained and we are mourning. “We are well aware that this same elevator has been a source of problem for many years during which several complaints had been made to all relevant agencies with no respite. “It is very painful that at a time when the country is battling with unprecedented brain drain, a young colleague that would have been expected to attend to 6,000 Nigerians was allowed to die a needless death,” the association said. It called for immediate, unbiased investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident. “That all those found culpable in this matter, especially the General Manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure Management Agency, Ms Adenike Adekambi, are all brought to justice,” the association said. NMA also directed all the doctors in other government hospitals in the state to scale down activities as a mark of respect for their dead colleague. “Only emergency services should be rendered for the next five days,” it said. The association appealed to government to urgently begin an overhaul of the house officers’ quarters on the Island and repair the infrastructure in all government hospitals that needed attention. NMA also urged the government to revamp the blood transfusion system in the state for improved services. “We appeal to our colleagues to remain calm, as NMA Lagos State leadership is on top of the situation and will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice is not just served but seen to have been served,” the association said. It commiserated with the family of the late doctor, her colleagues on the Island, the Medical Guild, and the body of doctors in the state while praying for the fortitude to bear the irreparable and unfortunate loss.

Cross River doctors embark on indefinite over colleague’s abduction

Doctors in Cross River on Sunday embarked on a total and indefinite strike in solidarity with one of their members abducted on Thursday from her residence in Calabar. This is contained in a communique signed by Dr. Felix Archibong, Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, (NMA), Cross River branch, after an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) on Sunday in Calabar. It would be recalled that on Thursday  July 13, Dr. Ekanem Ephraim, a medical practitioner with the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), was kidnapped from her residence by armed men who pretended to be patients at about 7.30 p.m. The doctors noted that despite all their efforts in ensuring the release of their colleague, Ephraim has remained in captivity. The association thereafter resolved to do the following. “To embark on a total and indefinite withdrawal of medical services effective immediately in solidarity with our member still in the hands of her abductors. “This withdrawal of medical service will involve all hospitals in the state both federal, state, private, and Mission. “The State government should activate all necessary instruments at its disposal to ensure the timely and unconditional release of our member in the hands of her abductors.” They added that NMA in Cross River was not oblivious of the hardship its withdrawal of services would have on the citizens but appealed to the relevant security agencies to ensure a timely release of its abducted member. This was not the first time the association would embark on a strike on account of the abduction of its member in Cross River.