Administrative activities were paralysed for some time at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, as some aggrieved staff of the hospital demonstrated against the non payment of full hazard allowance to them on Monday.
The workers, bearing placards with different inscriptions, matched to the office of the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo around noon,
There, they demanded for the full payment of the ’50 per cent COVID-19 hazard allowance’ to workers across board in the hospital.
The inscriptions on their placards read, ‘We need our 40 percent’; ‘Say no to discrimination’; ‘We are all health workers’; and, ‘I am a front line worker in the theatre’.’
Monday Oyatoki, who spoke on their behalf, explained that the workers were agitated by the discrimination in the payment of the COVID-19 hazard allowance to the staff of UCH.
Oyatoki said, “I want to tell all those who have been cheated in this course, if you sit at home, your problem would sit with you. It is time for us to take our destiny in our hands.
“What we are saying is that we should be treated equally. While the doctors and other health workers were paid 50per cent as promised, other categories were paid just 10 per cent.”
The CMD said, “What you are doing is legitimate but it is not as difficult as you may think it is.
You know that the cardinal points or focus of this administration is staff welfare. I want to let you know that we have been working hard to ensure that your welfare at all times is taken care of.
“Protest is allowed; every citizen in any free country is allowed to protest. It is part of the fundamental human rights.”
