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Lagos midwives protest non-payment of 11-month salaries

Published

7 years ago

December 14, 2016

Sahara Weekly

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Many medical workers in Lagos are angry. The aggrieved workers, who claimed they were engaged by the state government under the auspices of the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS), Lagos State chapter, recently held a peaceful demonstration at the Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja, to protest the non-payment of 11-month salary arrears by the authorities.

The midwives, who marched around the Governor’s Office and the House of Assembly complex, sang songs and pleaded with the authorities to quickly come to their aid.

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They expressed displeasure over the manner in which they were being treated after they had wholeheartedly rendered services to patients, especially in remote areas of the state. According to the protesters, the state government’s refusal to pay them in the past 11 months had brought them untold hardship.

They lamented that it was now difficult for them to feed their families, even as meeting other pressing needs had become impossible.

Even though they had not been paid a kobo since the beginning of the year, the midwives told the reporter that not for one day were they found wanting at their duty posts. The passion to save lives, they asserted, was the sole reason they had always remained on duty, and they wanted to always play their part in seeing to the development of Lagos.

The protesters expressed the fear that, if their salaries continued to accumulate, they and their families would be unable to participate in the coming Christmas and New Year celebrations. They said many of their children were out of school, having been sent back from school for not paying tuition.

Their placards had different inscriptions, including “Akinwunmi Ambode, please help pay MSS midwives salaries;” “Midwives are dying but patients are living;” “We reduce maternal and child mortality;” “Ambode, please hear us and intervene now;” “What have we done to deserve this punishment?” “We deserve to be paid promptly,” and many others.

Spokesperson for MSS, Mrs. Beatrice Adunola Ajayi, told Daily Sun that her colleagues could no longer endure the suffering, which was why the midwives decided to picket the Governor’s Office to express their grievances. She said several appeals had been made to the state government before the protest, but that none yielded the desired fruits. She said the situation had become worrisome and embarrassing. She recalled that the last time government paid them outstanding salaries was after a similar protest in 2015.

“We have been pleading with government to pay our salaries, but our demands have not been met. So, that is the reason we came out today to let Governor Ambode know what we have been passing through since January. We are not supposed to be begging the state government to pay us the money we actually worked for, but government has turned us to beggars,” said.

Ajayi told the reporter that the midwives were employed by the Federal Government and seconded to state governments in 2010, to help in reducing maternal mortality rate in the country, especially in the rural areas.

“Lagos then posted us to the various local government areas. We are the ones taking care of pregnant women, nursing mothers and babies there because there are not enough staff at the state primary health care centres. Some of the areas are so rural that some of the state staff avoid going there. That is why people were dying in such areas before we came on board,” she said.

Also pressing home the workers’ demands, another leader of the group, Mrs. Helen Folarin, said they were tired of working without receiving payment.

She said it looked as if the state government did not appreciate the services they were rendering, in spite of the value it added to health care delivery. She stated that, before they were deployed to the rural areas, most of the women there were patronising local birth attendants, thereby putting their lives at risk.

Her words: “There was high rate of deaths then. Some of these areas have government maternity but there were no staff to man them. When we came in, things changed for the better. The records and statistics are there to compare with what was obtainable before. The government knows this but I don’t know why they have refused to pay us. It was after series of protests that they paid the 2014 salaries, leaving the 2013 salaries. We can’t forfeit the money because we worked hard for it. If government does not want us anymore, they should tell us so that we know what is going on.”

The governor was not in the office to receive the protesters, but they left a strong message that except the government quickly responded to their plight, their services would be withdrawn from the various health facilities across the state.

A top government official, who didn’t disclose his identity, directed the midwives to the Office of Civic Engagement at the State Secretariat, to also register their complaint.

A letter signed by Ajayi, on behalf of her colleagues and addressed to the governor, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly and Chairman, Committee on Health of the House of Assembly, read in part: “We, hereby, express our appreciation of your quick response to our letter by paying our outstanding allowances for the Year 2013, even though some are yet to be paid.

“However, we have not received any response from you on the status of the scheme. You may recall that in our letter under reference, we state as follows:

“The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) had in a letter dated October 30, 2015 informed that our services have been transferred to the state government with effect from November 2015. Since then, the state government has not communicated to us its position on the matter.

“We request that you use your good offices to resolve the payment of November and December 2015 Federal Government allowances, the true status of MSS in Lagos and the payment of our salary from January 2016 till date.”

Ajayi said in the wake of the current recession ravaging the country, and without receiving any allowance from the government, the midwives had continued to carry out their duties like patriotic citizens. But they lamented that they had been borrowing money from family members and friends to meet their obligations.

The Sun

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‘Pity men’, Williams Uchemba laments outfits women wear to the gym

Published

6 days ago

April 26, 2024

Sahara Weekly

‘Pity men’, Williams Uchemba laments outfits women wear to the gym

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Nollywood actor Williams Uchemba has lamented over the choice of outfit ladies wear to the gym.

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The movie star, in a video on his official Instagram account, lamented that women now wear revealing outfits to the gym, and the times he goes to the gym, he sees something he didn’t plan to see.

He also revealed that, due to this trend, he stopped going to public gym because of his desire to “make heaven.”

He said, “Ladies how far? Should all the men not come to the gym again? Because it’s getting out of hand and becoming appalling, I don tire. Make una try to dey wear beta cloth come gym nau, what is this?

“There are men that have made up their minds to make the heavenly race and na una dey plenty for gym. Whoever that sells these clothes to you people, their shop go burn down because what is going on? Every single time one comes to the gym, wetin you no plan see you must see am.

“Una don make up una mind say no man in this Nigeria will make heaven but It won’t work because I’ve left the gym for una, I’ve set up a gym in my house because I cannot cope, I want to make heaven. You will have 20 people in the gym, 300 are women, doing exercises.

“Have conscience, men are people’s children too, I’m speaking for all the men and we need to make heaven.”

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Nollywood loses another veteran actor

Published

1 week ago

April 24, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Nollywood loses another veteran actor

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The Nigerian movie industry has again been thrown into mourning after the news of the death of another veteran Nollywood actor, Zulu Adigwe, surfaced on social media on Tuesday.

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Adigwe’s death was announced by a movie producer, Stanley Nwoko, in a post on his Instagram page .

Mourning the actor, Nwoko wrote, “Rest in peace, good actor.”

Adigwe’s death is coming two weeks after Junior Pope and three other Nollywood actors died in a boat accident in Anam River.

The actors were said to be on their way to a location when the incident occurred.

Adigwe gained recognition primarily for portraying fatherly characters in Nollywood films.

His breakthrough role came as Mr. B in the popular sitcom “Basi and Company.”

He also appeared in the highly successful 2019 movie “Living in Bondage: Breaking Free.”

Although born in Enugu State and spent his early years there, he later moved to Austria, where he completed his primary and secondary education.

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ERELU OLAJUMOKE, AN ALLURING CHARMING BEAUTY MAJESTICALLY CLIMBED THE FIFTH FLOOR

Published

2 weeks ago

April 19, 2024

Sahara Weekly

ERELU OLAJUMOKE, AN ALLURING CHARMING BEAUTY MAJESTICALLY CLIMBED THE FIFTH FLOOR

…Celebrates Golden Jubilee In Glitz and Amazing Glory

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She is a damsel, an embodiment of beauty, brain and brawn, possessing the best of qualities any discerning mind would dream of. She is no one else than Erelu Olajumoke, Erelu of Ifetedo Kingdom and founder/Chief Executive Officer of Erelu Olajumoke Foundation. Very industrious, illustrious and extremely hardworking, Erelu Olajumoke, the Iya Ijo of Bishop Court Chapel in Alagbaka Akure will on Saturday, the 20th of April, 2024 celebrate her 50th birthday, stepping majestically into the fifth floor and marking a golden jubilee that looks every inch, good on her.

The effervescent, glamorous and charismatic Erelu Olajumoke is an enigma, a colossus who has contributed immensely to humanity and the entire global economy. She is graciously blessed with the spirit of giving. Erelu Olajumoke, a magnanimous lady of substance, value and valor has been practically involved in various forms of empowerment, spreading love, passion and absolute generosity to the poor, the needy, the old (elderly), orphans, widows/widowers, the impoverished, the underprivileged and the intimidated members of the society. Endowed with an uncommon traits of great-heartedness, Erelu Olajumoke took it upon herself to alleviate the poverty levels of the people by directly, impacting on their lives.

Oftentimes, this legendary philanthropist, who is very much aware of the fact that health is indeed wealth, has organized various medical outreach programmes that yielded great impact on beneficiaries. Through Erelu Olajumoke Foundation, this amazon of beauty has transformed the lives of many, bringing in, health care professionals from around the globe to give succor to those with health challenges. Her roles in the rejuvenation and revamping of people’s health are awesome and iconic. Those who have benefitted from her tremendous medical contributions would always say lofty tales about her.

As an outstandingly committed child of God, Erelu Olajumoke who is currently basking in the euphoria of clocking 50, has been and still involved in fundraising activities towards her church and evangelism. Her passion and zeal for spreading the good news of God, winning souls into the Kingdom of God and expunging sinners from the gory dungeons of sin are highly recognized and commendable. She is absolutely emotional and animated to the church, the Gospel and everything about her Creator.

An extremely supportive partner, Erelu Olajumoke is simply, the strongest pillar of support to the political and democratic achievements of her beau, the distinguished Senator Oluwole Olubiyi Fadeyi, the dynamic and zestful Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, Abuja.

As a matter of fact, Erelu Olajumoke has displayed so much affection for the amiable Senator through unwavering support, unalloyed devotion to his democratic ideologies and strategies coupled with her reciprocating fondness for the people her hubby represents at the Red Chambers. Erelu Olajumoke synergized her benevolent acts with those of her beloved Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi by catering for constituency needs under his Osun Senatorial District covering Osogbo, Ila, Boripe, Odo-Otin, Boluwaduro, Ifedayo, Irepodun, Olorunda and Orolu Local Government Areas.

The ‘birthday girl’, Erelu Olajumoke regularly extends her olive oil of love, passion and care for all widowed women and men in these communities not excluding helpless and hopeless orphans, out of school children, those experiencing excruciating poverty amongst other less-privileged within the Osun Central Senatorial District and beyond. Erelu stands as a rock of Gibraltar, upholding the democratic values of her hubby with in-depth determination, perseverance and tenacity. As the First Lady of Osun Central Senatorial District, Erelu Olajumoke has performed meritoriously contributing immensely to the successful foray and great achievements of her best friend, her best adviser, best confidant and above all best lover, the distinguished Senator Ajagunla Oluwole Olubiyi Fadeyi, the Tayese II of Ifetedo Kingdom.

With the input and advise from Erelu Olajumoke, Senator Olubiyi Fadeyo has brought new hope to the good people of Osun Central Senatorial District, giving our palliatives and economic empowerment equipments like buses, cars, motorcycles, tricycles, hairdressing equipments, barbing gadgets, grinding machines, freezers amongst other vital poverty alleviation to drastically and astronomically reduce poverty from the shores of that senatorial district.

In a nutshell, Erelu Olajumoke, who will be gathering high net-worth dignitaries, top celebrities, society bigwigs, powerful political stalwarts, family, friends and well-wishers come Saturday to celebrate her joining the club of the 50s, could be described as an awesomely delectable queen with an uncommon heart of gold.

Happy birthday to this rare gem, a blessing to humanity and the solid pillar of support behind one of Nigeria’s most reliable Senators, Ajagunla Olubiyi Oluwole Fadeyi.

Barrister Olaitan Ilori