Abia State House of Assembly, as a matter of urgency has implored the management and staff of Hospitals Management Board, HMB, to suspend the ongoing strike and return to work forthwith as it has resolved to find a lasting solution to it predicament.
The House Committee Chairman on Health, Women Affairs and Social Development and member representing Ikwuano State Constituency, Hon. Stanley Nwabuisi, who disclosed this in a meeting with the HMB workers and various health unions in the State, said the 7th House of Assembly received with pain the petition that emanated from them bordering on non payment of salaries and arrears of about thirteen months.
Nwabuisi said he understands the importance of their services to Abians and pleaded with them to return to their legitimate duties while they carryout their oversight function to provide a lasting solution to the challenge.
Also speaking, members of the Committee, Hon. Jerry Uzosike, Umuahia South State Constituency and Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, Bende North State Constituency, charged the workers and their union leaders to sheath their swords and be patient with the State government as it is working out modalities to curb the situation.
Uzosike further expressed confidence that the 7th Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji, as the Speaker, would liaise with the Executive arm of the government to end the issues of salary payment in the State.
Responding on behalf of the HMB workers, the State Chairman of Medical and Health Workers Union, Abia State chapter, Comrade Okoro Ogbonnaya, said they have agreed to suspend the strike action forthwith provided the State government meets their signed agreement with the Abia House of Assembly.
He said part of the agreement it signed with the Abia State House of Assembly committee on Health, was that the State government will pay HMB workers another one full month salary in addition to the already received October 2019 payment within three weeks from this date and resolve the issues bordering on indiscriminate slashing of their salaries.
The union leader had earlier disclosed that HMB workers had suffered non payment of salaries as the State government is owing them thirteen months salary arrears from October 2018 to October 2019 and lack of subventions adding that they had not received a full payment of their salaries since the recent disbanded salary committee came on board.
Ogbonnaya who further hinted that since the former Governor of the State, Senator T.A Orji, signed the 100% implementation of the Healthworkers COHESS salary structure in 2014, they have not received any salary in that regard, therefore appealed to the 7th Assembly to carryout investigation based on that with a view to effect it.
Present during the meeting were, the Head of Service represented by the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Establishment, Mr. Okey Ihedioha, Directors in the HMB, various health union leaders among other persons of note.
