Pay Our Salaries - Newly Recruited Osun Health Workers Cry Out

The newly regularised ad-hoc health workers in the Osun State Primary Health Care Development Board have appealed to the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to pay them their withheld salaries.

The health workers made the call in a letter addressed to the governor which was obtained by AllNews Nigeria.

This is coming 15 days after teachers recruited by the administration of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola similarly appealed to the state governor to pay them their salaries as some of their members have died due to depression.

They appealed to the governor to favourably consider them towards the continuation of their services.

They also urged the governor to pay their withheld salaries as it was already done in other sister Agencies initially affected by the Governor’s Executive Order Number 3 on Employment made immediately after his inauguration on November 27, 2022.

“We appreciate and salute his efforts towards ensuring accountability and transparency as demonstrated by the proclamation of various Executive Orders, the Subsequent Inauguration of Capable Committees to oversee the right implementation of the proclaimed Executive Orders and the Incorporation of the complete Rehabilitation of another set of 332 PHCs into his 100 days in office programmes.

“However, as potential victims of circumstance by virtue of our Governor’s Executive Order Number 3 on Employment made after July 16th 2022; we hereby passionately appeal for a favourable consideration of our appointments, which occurred through the process of regularization of our previous initial voluntary services that later metamorphosed into Ad-hoc and payment of our withheld Salaries.

“We would like to inform Your Excellency, that we have been in the processing of this employment for a very long time, and we were encouraged to be performing as Ad-Hoc and Voluntary Staff giving us assurances that the State will give us a favourable consideration towards employing us as permanent Staffs over time.

“After several series of administrative protocols and actions, Governor’s approval was finally given to the Osun State Primary Health Care Development Board last year to fill the vacuum left behind by Retired Staff of the Agency; putting into consideration, the salary equivalent of the Retired Medical Staffs so as not to put any additional burden on the State finance.

“As a result of that, several interviews were conducted by Osun State Primary Health Care Development Board across all Cadres and some of us were offered provisional appointments in September 2022 irrespective of our political, ethnic and religious affiliations.

“We wish to inform our Governor that we have all resumed at our different places of work across the State since September 2022 after a series of Orientations and Trainings.

“However, It is pertinent to inform our Governor that we have engaged in different activities and actions aimed at getting a timely response from the State Government but yet with little or no response.

"Some of the actions already taken included Approaching the Review Committee on Employment and Appointment, meeting with the State House of Assembly, Meeting with notable Political and Community Leaders, Conduction of Free Medical Outreach/Awareness at Alhaji Isiaka Memorial Mosque, Ede and Writing to our Governor, His Excellency Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke.

“We therefore passionately appeal to our Governor, to give us a favourable consideration towards the continuation of our services and the payment of our withheld salaries as its already done in other sister Agencies initially affected by this same Governor’s Executive Order Number 3 on Employment made after July 16th 2022 in the state for we are only victims of circumstance.”