Posted by By Emeka Osondu on
Over 100 nurses from the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia, stormed the Abia State seat of power in Umuahia to register their protest to the state Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, over alleged unconducive work environment and placement of their members on "percentage salary
Over 100 nurses from the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia, stormed the Abia State seat of power in Umuahia to register their protest to the state Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, over alleged unconducive work environment and placement of their members on "percentage salary."
The nurses, dressed in black, marched to the Government House gate at about 10 a.m, alleging that they have been locked out of their offices for two weeks by management of the hospital.
According to the unit Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNAM), Mrs Beatrice Ndiyo, they had come to the governor to seek his intervention in the labour face-off with the management of the hospital to save the institution from total collapse.
Ndiyo alleged that the hospital had suffered from abject neglect from the Federal Government, and lacks working equipment including soap, hand gloves and syringes, amongst others, adding that in the night, nurses work with candles and lantern.
She painted a gloomy picture of their welfare, pointing out that uncertainty now rules salary payment, which could be between 60 and 40 per cent of their full salary in any given month.
She also alleged that there has been no promotion in the last three years, while there is no mention of in service training and sponsorship to workshops.
Ndiyo regretted that salaries and leave allowances were being paid to them piecemeal, stressing that "we are not here to report anybody, but to let the governor know our plight."
THISDAY learnt that the nurses had on October 8, 2004, reported for duty in black attire and were turned back by management, who asked them to go and put on their conventional uniform before they could table their grievances.
However, Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Rural Development, Chief Ukwu Rocks Emma, appealed for dialogue, adding that "the governor would engineer a return to normalcy in FMC, because he does not joke with the health sector.
The FMC medical director Dr Chinonso Onuoha, reacting to the development said the hospital does not have sufficient funds and urged the nurses to verify his claims at Abuja.