OAUTH: FG Probes Workers Unpaid Salaries

A Joint Action Committee to probe the crisis of unpaid salaries at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has been ordered to be set up by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate.

This was made known on Thursday by the Director, Media and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Patricia Deworitshe in a statement.

Osun Defender in November 2023, reported that Medical staff at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching called on constituted authorities in the country to intervene on their behalf over the refusal of the hospital management to pay their salaries in the last 10 months.

The employees stressed that they have resorted to begging to feed their families due to the hardship the non-payment of salaries has subjected them to.

They attributed the reason for brain drain in health sector in the country as a result of poor treatment of health workers by the government.

The statement read, “The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is fully aware of the lingering crisis at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH) over the issue of unpaid staff salaries.

“On the directive of the Honourable Coordinating Minister, Muhammad Ali Pate, CON, #muhammadpate, a Joint Action Committee has been set up and is currently investigating the matter.”

Findings of the committee, according to the statement, would be released to the public within the next 10 days with clear recommendations on how to effect a fair and equitable resolution to the problem.

It added, “We are particularly concerned about the plight of individuals affected by the unfortunate situation and we urge for patience as we are determined to judiciously unravel the matter and ensure that such a situation does not reoccur elsewhere in the future.”