Ondo doctors begin warning strike over unpaid allowances, staff shortages
Activities in government-owned hospitals across Ondo State have been paralysed following the commencement of a three-day warning strike by medical doctors under the National Association of Government General and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP).
The doctors, who downed tools on Monday, said the strike became necessary due to the “gross neglect of the health sector and welfare of medical practitioners” by the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
In a joint statement issued in Akure, the State Chairman of NAGGMDP, Dr. Richard Obe, and Secretary, Dr. Adekunle Owolabi, expressed worry over the alarming shortage of doctors in the state, disclosing that some government hospitals currently operate with only one doctor per local government.
They also kicked against what they described as an arbitrary increase in taxation introduced in April 2025 without prior engagement with the association, and condemned the failure of the state to pay salaries and allowances to eight doctors who were employed in October 2024.
“Others include, unpaid hazard allowances for October to December 2023 and January 2024, outstanding promotion arrears from June to December 2024, and salary shortfalls and unpaid allowances for other members,” the statement added.
The doctors noted that the current working conditions have become unbearable and warned that failure to meet their demands would trigger a total shutdown of the state’s health sector.
According to them, their demands include the immediate recruitment of medical doctors across the 18 local government areas of the state, payment of outstanding salaries, promotion arrears, and statutory allowances.
“The reversal of the new tax regime, payment of outstanding salaries and allowances for newly employed officers and payment of owed hazard allowances and settlement of promotion arrears for eligible members,” they stressed.
The NAGGMDP had earlier given a 14-working-day ultimatum to Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to resolve the issues in the health sector but said the warning was ignored.
Speaking on the issue, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Prof. Simidele Odimayo, assured that the government had already begun addressing the grievances raised by the doctors.
“We have started paying the arrears because the governor has given an instruction that the funds be paid, and we are going to address their challenges.
“On the issue of shortage. The state government is employing medical doctors, and if they have people that they want us to employ, they should come forward with it.
“Don’t forget that we put up an advert and we employed the ones who applied. The government can’t manufacture doctors, but we are ready to employ them,” he said.
