More than 200 healthcare professionals hired by the Kaduna State Government in June of the previous year are expressing dismay over not receiving payment for eight consecutive months.
Recalling the state government’s recruitment initiative in 2023, where over 200 nurses were enlisted at grade level seven and assigned to various general hospitals throughout the state, the nurses now reveal that they have toiled for eight months without compensation.
Their grievances extend to the fact that they were remunerated for only three months: February, March, and April. Furthermore, the remuneration they received during this period fell short of the amounts stipulated in their appointment letters.
An anonymous nurse shared: “We have not been paid our 8 months salary arrears which we worked for because we started work in June 2023 but started receiving salary from February 2024.
“We have single mothers and divorcees among us who fend for themselves and their kids. One can only imagine the stress they go through to provide for their family.”
He implored Governor Uba Sani to intervene urgently to ensure they promptly receive their outstanding payments. He emphasized the challenges faced by those stationed in rural areas, who must contend with expenses such as rent, meals, and transportation.
Echoing similar sentiments, another affected midwife, speaking anonymously, disclosed her ongoing struggles to commute to her workplace in Kakuri. She highlighted the daily expenditure of N1,400 for transportation to and from her community to the workplace.
“Almost all my salary goes to transportation and the work burden is too demanding. Let them pay us our 8 months arrears and increase our salary because the burden is too much on us,” she said.
The Chairman of the National Association of Nurses and Midwife, Kaduna Chapter, Ishaku Yakubu, confirmed the unpaid salary arrears.
“We are aware but we are pursuing their arrears for them because I have gone to the office of Head of Service to talk about it,” he said.
