STRIKE: DELTA GOVT SACKS 15 DOCTORS

By NBF News

For daring the Delta State government and persisting in the strike embarked upon by doctors in the state over a month ago, 15 of the doctors have been shown the exit door by the government, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara has revealed.

The doctors under the aegis of Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners went on strike over tax-related issues and the demand to redeploy the Permanent Secretary of the state Health Management Board, Mrs. Caroline Ajuya over alleged high handedness.

Dr. Otumara had warned them to call-off the strike and resume at their duty posts or risk being sacked. He described the strike by the workers as an abuse of industrial process, saying the issues had earlier been resolved.

At the weekly post-exco press briefing late Wednesday, the commissioner confirmed the sack of the 15 doctors who defied government's plea to return to work and said those who were on leave during the period of the strike were not affected.

Otumara said the sack became necessary because allowing the doctors to go away with frivolous excuses all in the name of strike would send the wrong signal to other cadre of staff in the state.

He also said his ministry had conducted employment interview for the replacement of the sacked doctors and that in the next two weeks, those successful would be engaged by the state government.

On the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting, Dr. Otumara informed that the sum of N109.9 million was approved for massive retooling of government health institutions in Ethiope East Local Government Area while another N100.4 million was also approved for the procurement of medical equipment for health institutions in Aniocha South LGA.

He explained that the procurement of the medical equipment for the health institutions in the two local government areas was to ensure that standard was met, adding that it was in line with the infrastructural development of the Uduaghan administration.