Workers at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso staged a protest yesterday over what they called an unexpected salary reduction by the hospital management.
Many of the affected employees expressed deep disappointment, with some admitting they broke down in tears after receiving lower-than-expected January salaries, dashing their hopes of an increase. The protest resulted in the closure of the hospital gates and administrative offices.
The aggrieved workers, drawn from various unions, said they could not remain silent after discovering that their January salaries were lower than their previous earnings.
Speaking on behalf of the protesting workers, Mr. Olabaniyi David, Chairman of the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (JOHESU), stated that their expectations had been high following the state government’s implementation of the new minimum wage for civil servants.
He said, “The salary we received was not what we expected. We were optimistic when other state workers benefitted from the new minimum wage. However, when our members started receiving their salary alerts over the weekend, it turned out to be even lower than what we earned in December. That’s why we have gathered here to hear from the management.”
Sharing similar sentiments, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Mr. Olaniran Adebayo, expressed his disappointment, saying, “Many of us broke down in tears upon seeing our salary alerts. Instead of receiving the expected minimum wage, our pay was actually reduced.”
He further lamented the situation, saying, “To make matters worse, the arrears owed to us from 2018 to 2023 remain unpaid, except for four months of promotional benefits. We also discovered that the tax rate had been increased without any corresponding salary adjustment. Our members now accuse us of betrayal, believing we compromised on their behalf.”
The workers also claimed that the hospital management was powerless to address the issue, as the government had reduced the subvention allocated to the hospital.
Mrs. Olajide Bukola of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) also voiced her concerns, describing the silence from relevant authorities as deeply troubling.
“We have not been informed about what is happening. There was no prior meeting with us before this decision was made, and that is why we are protesting,” she said.
Meanwhile, the hospital management’s spokesperson, Mr. Omotayo Ogunleye, stated that the management met with various unions today to discuss possible solutions to the issue.
