‎Ondo doctors give state government ultimatum to implement welfare benefits

‎Medical Doctors in Ondo State have issued an ultimatum to the state government to implement the federal government-approved welfare circulars and other benefits, threatening to embark on a strike if the government fails to heed their demands.
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‎Doctors under the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) said the government had until 28 April to implement the welfare package.
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‎In a statement made available to journalists in Akure, the state capital, on Monday, signed by NMA Chairman in Ondo State, Muyiwa Alonge, the association said that for months, the state government had not implemented two key federal government circulars that affected their salaries and welfare.
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‎”The first is Circular *SWC/S/04/S.218/IV/876 of 19th November 2025* on the Consequential Adjustment of Salaries. The second is Circular *SWC/S/04/S.218/III/572 of 26th July 2025* on Accoutrement Allowance.
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‎”These are not new requests. They are our entitlements. Our colleagues at the Federal level and in many other states have been enjoying these benefits for almost a year,” he said.
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‎”In Ondo State, it’s unfortunate that we are also still owed our 2024 promotion allowance, and no new doctors or health workers have been employed to replace those who left,” he said.
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‎Mr Alonge also lamented the continued exodus of medical doctors from the state, which is straining the system and forcing those remaining to work longer hours.
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‎He said several efforts to get the government’s attention and address the issues had not yielded any positive response.
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‎”We wrote to the government on 24th November 2025, 2nd December 2025, and 8th January 2026 with respect to these circulars. We held several meetings with His Excellency and other key officials of the government. We appealed. Nothing has changed.

‎”So today, as empowered by the State Executive Council of the Nigerian Medical Association, Ondo State branch, we are making four clear demands:
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‎”Immediate implementation of the Consequential Adjustment of Salaries and the payment of all its arrears from the effective date as provided by the circular; payment of the Accoutrement Allowance without further delay; payment of all outstanding 2024 promotional allowances; and urgent commencement of recruitment of doctors and other health workers to ease the workload.
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‎”We are giving the Government until Tuesday, 28th April 2026* to act. If nothing is done, the NMA will call an Emergency Congress to decide our next lawful steps. And that may include a withdrawal of services,” the statement said.
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‎Mr Alonge noted that doctors are reluctant to go on strike, knowing that their strike would make the people suffer.
‎He said, “But the truth is that people are already suffering because the system has become very fragile and it is collapsing.
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‎”We cannot keep quiet while our members break down (as it often happens) and our hospitals become empty.”
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‎”We believe the Governor means well for this State. We are asking him to show it now by implementing what the Federal Government has already approved and taking other urgent steps to revitalise the health sector,” the association further asserted. “The time for dialogue is ending. The time for action is now,” he stated.
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‎Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, said the state government would engage the doctors and ensure there is no strike.

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‎‎He, however, questioned the rationale for the demand to implement an approved federal government circular for state doctors.
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‎”Why should anyone be asking the state to implement a circular of the federal government on behalf of workers on the payroll of the state government.
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‎”The Ondo State Government has its own welfare and salary package for its doctors, and we are doing our best to implement them, but it is not appropriate for a federal government circular to be applicable to states,” Mr Ajanaku said.