Doctors in Abia State on Thursday barricaded the Government House gate to press home their pleas over 25 months’ salary arrears.
Carrying placards with different inscriptions, including “Abia Doctors lives matter”, “2 years without salary no be joke”, “No salaries for 24 months”, among others, the doctors pleaded with Abia people to prevail on the state government to pay them.
“How can our elected people make us slaves in our own state? How can you expect us to care for our loved ones? they asked.
Addressing the doctors under the aegis of Nigeria Medical Association, Abia Chapter, at the Government House gate, the NMA Chairman, Dr. Isaiah Abali, said they took to peaceful protest “due to the situation we found ourselves in”.
“Doctors are not being paid by Abia State Government. Our salaries are our entitlement.”
Visibly shaken, the NMA chairman lamented, “How can we work for 25 months without salaries, and still you expect the person to be on duty?
“Who pays our children’s school fees, who feed us and our families? We cannot pay our house rent because we work for Abia State Government. We want the world to know this man’s inhumanity to man.
“Abia pays the least salaries and least CONHESS. While the rest of the 35 states pay their doctors, Abia doesn’t.
“How long are we going to cry for our salaries? We have cried and appealed to the state government to pay us. We are entitled to our wages. This is two years and a month, yet the end is not in sight.
“They bring out all sorts of allegations to justify their wickedness on Abia doctors.”
The chairman disclosed that last year, more than five doctors died due to their inability to cater to their needs.
“We pray and cry that whoever is blocking our salaries, God should touch their hearts. Let history and posterity judge them.
“Here in Abia, doctors should be rewarded for their work. Instead, they are punished and rewarded with evil.”
No government officials were at hand to address the workers.
