Delta Doctors, Health Workers Begin Strike

San Francisco, August 03, (THEWILL) - Doctors and health workers under the employment of Delta State government have embarked on an industrial action over the lack of implementation of the new salary structure which was supposed to have taken effect since January 2010 according to a deal reached between doctors and the federal government.

THEWILL gathered that Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who also trained as medical doctor had promised to implement same for doctors in the employment of the state but the state has failed to honour that promise till date.

An ultimatum was thereafter handed the governor by health workers which expired recently. However, a meeting was called between him and workers on Monday to straighten out issues but unfortunately no deal was struck between the parties.

The governor had assured doctors during a meeting in March 2010 at the Governors Lodge in Abuja that the state had already made budgetary provisions for the payment of the new salary structure, but shockingly put up a volte-face and made a u-turn when he met again with them on Monday to say the state could not pay.

One of the doctors who contacted THEWILL today said, "We begin a total strike at 12 midnight today (Tuesday). The governors volte face is shocking and unbelievable."