Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State says his government will punish any civil servant who fails to take the COVID-19 vaccination.
In a circular released on Friday by the Permanent Secretary, Service Matters, O. J. Afolabi, the state government directed all workers to get vaccinated within the next two weeks.
Afolabi stated that workers will not be allowed into some facilities without showing a vaccination card as proof, urging workers to adhere strictly to COVID-19 protocols.
He, however, said the move is part of the state government’s effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
The circular read, “Following the outbreak of Delta Variant, a subsequent third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has become imperative for government to direct all categories of public servants to take Covid-19 vaccination within two weeks from the date of this circular.”
Meanwhile, Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Association (AHPA) have issued a 15-day strike ultimatum to the Federal Government.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, and other stakeholders on Saturday, JOHESU’s national president, Biobelemonye Josiah said the groups will commence an indefinite strike over outstanding welfare issues with the union.
He accused the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government of not showing concerns over the plight of its members.
The welfare issues are the adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure as was done with Consolidated Medical Salary Structure since 2014, payment of all withheld April and May 2018 Salaries of our members and withheld Salaries in Federal Medical Center, Owerri, JUTH and LUTH, review of the defective implementation of COVID-19 Special Inducement and Hazard Allowance, implementation of National Industrial Court of Nigeria Alternative Dispute Resolution, Consent judgment and other court judgments, increase in the retirement age from 60 to 65 years for health workers and 70 years for Consultant Health Professionals.
Others are; payment of reviewed hazard allowance in terms of payment that guarantee fairness and justice to all concerned, payment of actual 30 per cent consolidated basic shift duty allowance to Nurses/Midwives and others.
Payment of teaching allowance to members on CONHESS 7 and 8 (Nurses, Midwives and others) and proper placement of Nurse Graduates and Interns, payment of outstanding salaries of intern health professionals and all the Tertiary Health Institutions, proper implementation of the consultant pharmacist cadre for pharmacists in the public sector, among others.
