Buhari Tells Health Workers Coronavirus Effects On Govt Revenue
TITUS ALLI, Abuja
The president Monday summoned a meeting of some critical agencies to find ways for the country to survive in the view of the deadly virus which is ravaging the world and the price war that has affected oil revenue.
The President at a meeting with the health sector under the auspices of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly Healthcare Professionals Associations (AHPA) at the State House, Abuja, assured that government was looking into their issues with a view to resolving them.
“Your case is certainly receiving attention, but you must bear in mind the condition that the country is in now. Coronavirus is not improving matters. It is affecting what we very much depend on, the petroleum industry and therefore revenue,” he said.
President Buhari also called on the visitors to appeal to the patriotic sentiments of their members in these trying times and continue to work for further development of the country.
“So please try and help us with your people. Let us be patriotic, let us look at the ways and means of the government and appeal for restraint…We have to emphasize that it is very important we maintain cohesion together because if we allow sentiments or popularity to overwhelm our reasoning faculties, we will be in trouble and it will be too late for us to adjust, so please bear with us,” said the President.
The Nigerian leader used the opportunity to stress that his administration’s successful drive for food sufficiency in the last four years will definitely come in handy now with the drop in government revenue.
“We thank God. God is very sympathetic to us. The three previous rainy seasons were good. We had good foresight in getting fertiliser, making it available and we virtually achieved food security. We made good decisions, and we saved hundreds of millions of dollars on the importation of food. If not, we would have been in real trouble,” he added.
JOHESU, an amalgam of five registered trade unions and AHPA, under the leadership of Biobelemoye Joy Josiah, had come to intimate the President with some of the contentious issues in the sector and to thank him for some of the positive developments.
Notably, they appreciated President Buhari’s prompt release of funds for tackling Coronavirus; thanked him for assenting to the National Health Act which provides for a one percent consolidated fund for the health sector, and for rejecting the advice of stakeholders who clamored for the privatization of the health sector which would have deprived the masses access to affordable healthcare.
They also requested the President’s intervention in the adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS); withheld April and May 2018 salaries of members; gazetting of the scheme of service for nurses; and restoration of teaching allowances among others.
Also in attendance were Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; the Minister and the Minister of State in the Health ministry, Osagie Ehanire and Olorunnimbe Mamora respectively; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
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