The Executive Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade
PATRICK ABANG, Calabar –
Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade has approved a 100% increment for the Consolidated Medical Salaries Structures (CONMESS) for all medical doctors serving in the state with immediate effect.
The State First Lady, Dr. Linda Ayade, who is also a medical doctor, disclosed this on Thursday in her office while briefing a team of the Nigerian Medical Association and Consultant across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
The First Lady said this became necessary because of the exodus of medical doctors from the state employment who prefer working with the Federal Government and other International agencies due to poor renumeration.
According to her, “We have not been able to keep doctors under the state employment because doctors earn less as compared to their counterpart in the Federal Civil Service and other part of the world”.
She said the development had posed a huged challenge to the health sector in the state.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Better Edu, commended Governor Ayade for his intervention in the health sector.
“The governor has a listening ear because you see a situation where as you employ, doctors leave the state on daily basis for other paid jobs”, she lamented.
Also, The Director General of the State Primary Health Development Agency, Janet Ekpeyong commended the NMA and other stakeholders for making the dream a reality.
She said with this development doctors would now start enjoying same salaries as their counterpart at the Federal level.
Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Innocent Abang said before now, doctors in the state were enjoying a 70% CONMESS in the state, while appreciating the governor for the 100% increment.