The Workers Rights Campaign (WRC) has strongly condemned the recent salary deductions imposed on health workers across Lagos State, labelling the action as “criminal and completely unacceptable.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday and jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Lai Brown, and National Secretary, Kelvin Ayemhenre, the group demanded an immediate reversal of the pay cuts.
The WRC stressed that the unprecedented and outrageous deductions have had a devastating impact on health professionals across all tiers of the state’s health sector.
“The Workers Rights Campaign finds the deductions in April salaries of health workers from Grade Level 9 upwards criminal and totally unacceptable,” the group stated.
On Monday, SaharaReporters revealed that healthcare workers across Lagos State are in uproar over massive, unexplained salary deductions, with some employees reportedly losing between N200,000 and N600,000.
Many workers have accused the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of betrayal and financial oppression.
One affected staff member described the situation as unprecedented and a blatant act of cruelty by the state government.
Reacting to the development, the Workers Rights Campaign (WRC) echoed the workers’ distress, stating, “Health workers in primary healthcare centres, general hospitals, and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) are all groaning in pain.”
“The salaries, which were not even enough to meet their needs, are now being slashed in contempt of the labour law and with disdain to the workers.”
The group demanded not only a full reversal of the deductions but also an upward review of salaries for health workers in the state.
“We demand the immediate reversal of these condemnable cuts. And this should not be the end. We further demand upward review of their salaries instead of slashing it,” the WRC said.
The group also criticised the state government for what it described as contradictory policies that exacerbate the ongoing brain drain in the health sector.
“Health workers are the backbone of healthcare delivery. Governments cannot be complaining about the mass migration of health workers to seek greener pastures on one hand and be paying those who have stayed back peanuts like monkeys on the other,” the group stated.
“Enough is enough. Health workers deserve better. All workers deserve better. Stop making us suffer. Pay what we are due now!” the group stressed.
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