Ekiti State Government on Sunday said it is up to date with the payment of the salaries the state medical and health workers.
Akinjide Akinleye, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Human Services, made the clarification in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Akinleye was reacting to a news article credited to the National President of the Nigerian Medical Association NMA, Prof Innocent Ujah, alleging that the State Government is owing doctors four months salary.
Akinleye said that government had diligently paid the salaries of all workers in the State, including doctors.
According to him, public servants in the State, including medical and health workers, receive their salaries regularly without any default from the government.
Akinleye explained that for the purpose of clarity, medical and health workers in the state, are employed across the three tiers of health facilities.
“Those at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti; the 22 secondary care hospitals under the management of the Hospitals Management Board and Primary Healthcare facilities, managed by the State Primary Health Care Development Agency.
“Health workers employed through the State Hospitals’ Management Board and the State Primary Health Care Development Agency are paid directly by the State government through the Office of the Accountant General,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary noted that workers employed at EKSUTH and other autonomous entities such as the State University, receive their salaries from their organisations, with subventions released by the state government to the institutions.
“As at today, all health workers in the State, including doctors, have been paid their salaries up to November 2021,” he said.
Akinleye said members of the public are aware that past administrations in the state owed workers salaries between July and September 2018.
According to him, Gov. Kayode Fayemi took over the liability from the previous administration and had begun to defray the arrears to the workers.
“It is important to state that the present administration is not owing any worker since its inauguration in October 2018,” he said.
Akinleye said the State Government hold its workers, including medical and health professionals, in high esteem and would continue to make their welfare a top priority at all times.
He said government would continue to create the enabling environment for its workers as a catalyst for improved productivity.