Published 2nd May, 2021

By Ibrahim Adeyemi

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, has embarked on a total and indefinite strike over unpaid four months salaries of some members.

On Friday, FIJ reported how corruption was delaying the salaries of over 250 doctors at UCH.

The non-payment of their salaries is due to the refusal of UCH to migrate the staff to the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPIS) as ordered by the Federal Government.

Although, Toye Akinrinlola, the hospital’s Head of Information Department, argued that the problem wasn’t peculiar to UCH alone, multiple sources insisted that the “management is reluctant to enroll the 256 doctors and other medical staff to the IPPIS because it will stop its corruption network”.

A LOCAL PROBLEM WITH A NATIONAL SOLUTION

Following FIJ’s report that sparked public outrage, ARD embarked on an indefinite strike to protest the non-payment of salaries of some of its members.

FIJ gathered that the Associated went on strike after holding an emergency zoom meeting in the early hours of Saturday.

Dr Temitayo Hussein, the President of the Association, said the non-payment of salaries of some members of ARD is a local problem with a national solution.

“The strike started yesterday afternoon and the management is typically not happy about it,” Husein told FIJ on Sunday.

“To be honest with you, it is a local problem with a national solution. It is the Federal Government that can pay the salaries; it it also the Federal Government that can enroll them into IPPIS.”

When asked why IPPIS did not capture over 250 doctors when it came to UCH in February 2020, Husein said he only became President of the Association in December, so he could not give adequate details about it.

On Thursday, doctors, nurses and other medical officers who had not been paid their four months salaries marched to the CMD’s office to express their displeasure. After the seemingly peaceful meeting, many of the aggrieved workers said the CMD’s words were depressing. They stressed that there was no hope of getting their salaries soon.

Some of the doctors who spoke to FIJ but asked not to be named said the non-payment of their salaries left them in agony.

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