Workers at the Ondo State-owned University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital staged a peaceful protest on Monday, demanding payment of their salary arrears dating back to 2018-2020.
The protesters, comprising various categories of staff, including nurses, accountants, pharmacists, and laboratory staff, blocked the hospital’s entrance with placards and chanted solidarity songs.
The protesters alleged that the hospital management had paid doctors their arrears while excluding other staff members, leading to widespread discontent.
A medical scientist, Oluwafemi Akinboboye, emphasized that the protest aimed to demand payment for all categories of staff, with some owed up to 13 months’ arrears.
He said: “We have nurses, accountants, pharmacists,.laboratory staff here protesting the non-payment of arrears. Some are owed as much as 13 months arrears.
“Our leaders met with the former CMD, Dr. Ige but the management only paid the doctors and left other categories of staff. We wrote letters to them but nothing was done. They didn’t answer us. We are pleading with the state government to come and assist us with the payment. All categories of staff are affected. The only people not here are the doctors. The payment is long overdue.”
Another protester, Olatunde Oluwafemi, highlighted that many affected staff had resigned due to the non-payment of salaries, which had caused financial hardship for their families.
A nurse, Oriole Joy joined the protest, stating that she was owed two months’ arrears and urged the government to assist with the payment.
Acting Medical Director Olumide Micheal Gbala acknowledged the difficulty in borrowing money to pay all the salary arrears at once but assured that his administration would gradually pay the arrears.
He pledged not to victimize any staff who participated in the protest and emphasized his commitment to staff welfare, citing the recent increase in security personnel salaries as an example.
He noted: “You will see the sincerity in me. I am concerned about staff welfare which was why I increased the salary of security personnel by N20,000.
“We will engage everybody. It is only when staff are happy I can succeed. I feel your pain and I need your support.”
