By Asma’u Ahmad
Workers at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), have threatened to embark on strike if the state government failed to pay their eight months’ salary arrears by Friday.
The Chairman, ABSUTH Joint Workers Union, Chief Emea Ukariwe, disclosed this to newsmen at the end of a meeting with union leaders in Aba on Thursday.
Chief Ukariwe said that the call became necessary following the failure of the government to pay their eight months’ salary arrears with the Paris Club refund.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Abia state Ministry of Health, Mr Nkwachukwu Agomoh has urged staff of ABSUTH not to go on strike but to expect their salaries on or before Monday.
Mr Agomoh told newsmen that he had the assurance of the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Mr Obinna Oriaku that the staff of ABSUTH would be paid part of their eight months outstanding salaries on or Monday.
He said that the ministry was not happy that the hospital workers were being owed; adding that he had spoken with the Medical Director Prof. Chucks Kamalu to ensure the situation was checked and to plead with workers.
Association of Resident Doctors at the ABSUTH, said that workers of the institution have not been paid any salary this year which had caused them untold hardships.
“We are calling on the state government to do everything humanly possible to ensure that our salaries are paid promptly to alleviate the sufferings of our members,” he said.
Secretary of the Medical and Health Workers Union, ABSUTH Branch, Mr Princewill Okorie, regretted that the state government was not appreciating the sacrifice of the staff.
On his part, the Secretary of the Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Mr Samuel Kalu, condemned the non-payment of workers’ salaries.
He said that workers of the ABSUTH returned from their January strike hoping to be treated better, but the government kept failing them.
Mr Kalu said that since the state government has vowed not to keep its promises, the institution would no longer take them seriously, hence the resolve to shut the hospital if government failed to pay by Friday.
