Lagos doctors threaten action over unpaid allowances

The Medical Guild of Lagos State has urged the government to pay the revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure allowance (doctors’ living wage) to avoid a crisis.

The Medical Guild is a group of doctors employed by Lagos State.

In a statement signed by the Chairman, Dr. Moruf Abdulsalam, on Wednesday, it was noted that CONMESS has been implemented for their federal counterparts, with arrears paid since July 2023.

“The non-payment of the reviewed CONMESS allowance has been addressed for our federal colleagues and in the states of Ekiti, Delta, Ebonyi, Rivers, and Katsina. This has widened the salary disparity between doctors in Lagos State and exacerbated the emigration of doctors to federal employment and abroad.

“Additionally, the economic challenges and stagflation in the country are affecting doctors severely,” he said.

“We seek the employment of Medical Officers at grade level 12/2 and consultants at grade level 15/4, in line with national best practices. We also demand the immediate restoration and payment of contributory pension/NHF deductions for resident doctors as stipulated in the Pension Reform Act of 2014, and the full implementation of the September ’23 Medical Guild position paper, which has been discussed and agreed upon by the Lagos State government,” he stated.

Abdulsalam appealed to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to implement these proposed incentives to prevent a significant crisis in the health sector.

“Despite ongoing disputes with the government, we have employed all forms of advocacy and constructive persuasion to avoid this impending crisis. The government has yet to respond. In the coming days, we will call on the Association’s Congress to decide on the next course of action,” he concluded.