Doctors Kick As Govt Increases Hazard Allowance

The Nigerian government has increased the hazard allowances applicable to health workers in federal government-owned healthcare facilities across the country.

The government increased the allowance for doctors from N5,000 to between N32,000 to N40,000, while other health workers are to receive between N15,000 and N34,000.

But a group of doctors under the umbrella of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has kicked against the approved percentages of the increment, insisting that it contradicts the content of the template jointly drawn by the union and government representatives at various meetings held over the matter.

The new increment was contained in a circular with Reference SWC/S/04/S.218/11/406, dated December 22, 2021, from the office of the executive chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC).

It reads in part; “Concerning the review of the Hazard Allowance applicable to Health Workers in the services of the Federal Hospitals, Medical Centres and Clinics in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“The hazard allowance was reviewed to a flat rate that ranges from N5,000 to between N15,000 and N34,000 for health workers on the CONHESS salary structure, while doctors on CONMESS had theirs reviewed from N5,000 to between N32,000 and N40,000.”

Hazard allowance, a wage supplement paid to workers who do dangerous jobs, has been among key negotiation points between Nigerian doctors and the government for many years.

Following the interventions of prominent Nigerians and relevant stakeholders and the commitment of the government to address grey areas, the then striking members of NARD, the county’s larger group of doctors, suspended its nine-week prolonged strike.

The new announcement by the government is, therefore, part of the efforts by the government to fulfil its pledge during the negotiations with the workers. But the concerned doctors have kicked against the fresh decision.

The leadership of NARD on Friday rejected the newly revised hazard pay.

The association, in a statement jointly signed by its president, secretary general and publicity secretary, Dare Ishaya, Sulaiman Ismail and Alfa Yusuf respectively, said the new allowance does not reflect the true collective bargaining agreement (CBA) entered with the government.

It said members of the association are dissatisfied with the government’s resolutions.

The statement reads in part; “Whilst we acknowledge the FG’s frantic efforts in improving the welfare of Health Workers in Nigeria in this regard, we wish to state that, this resolution is a far cry from the Final Position of NMA/NARD in the last meeting with the FG.

“Hence, the NARD are disenchanted and dissatisfied with this resolution and therefore reject it in its entirety.

“This new hazard circular is not the product of a true collective bargaining agreement (CBA), but a one-sided conclusion that betrays the spirit of sincere amicable wage negotiations.”

The doctors appealed to the government to implement what they described as the agreed hazard allowance rates to avoid another lengthy negotiation process in future.