Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has said the strike embarked upon by resident doctors at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu is “irresponsible and politically motivated.”
Abiodun said he didn’t think the decision of the Association of Resident Doctors to embark on strike on weekdays was the right thing to do. In his words, he found it “disturbing, shocking and a breach of trust.”
The doctors had on Friday announced the commencement of the weekend strike, following the alleged refusal of the state government to yield to their demand for improved welfare.
The association had embarked on a three-day warning strike, a development which attracted the attention of the government. However, the meeting ended in a deadlock as both parties couldn’t reach an agreement.
This prompted the association to announce the commencement of weekend strike.
Reacting to the strike, Abiodun expressed disappointment that medical doctors were seeking a pay hike in a time where COVID-19 has crippled the economy.
The governor said, “Surprisingly over the weekend, I was informed that they have begun a warning strike, I found this very irresponsible, that any set of doctors at this point in time, in the history of this nation and this state, after having sat down with the government at the highest level, after government has done everything to meet their demand will embark on such an action.
“…I find it difficult that at this time when we are all putting our thinking caps on, trying to figure out what to do and how to do, any set of people would be irresponsibly requesting a wage increase, and these set of people are the same set of people that we have entrusted our health to at a point in time like this, I am very disappointed.”