As Resident Doctors across the country, plan nationwide strike, the Federal Government, has disclosed that it paid health workers a whooping N20 billion as COVID-19 allowance.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora made the disclosure on ChannelsTV, during the Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday.
“We’ve been able to disburse close to N20 billion and I repeat close to 20 billion. So, to now say nothing has been done, that is not true,” the minister said.
According to him, government stopped payment of the hazard allowance because of renegotiation with them.
“We were able to pay April, May full, June, part of it has been paid but not fully paid and it’s because of the economic situation and these funds have to be sourced for one way or the other,” he added.
Mamora further disclosed that the funds were paid to “Federal health institutions” across the country including Federal Medical Centres (FMCs), teaching hospitals, among others.
Also speaking on the N5,000 hazard allowance for doctors and health workers, the Minister said that the payment had existed in the country for about 30 years but was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
