As parts of its quasi-judicial functions, the Ogun State House of Assembly has appealed to the leadership of the Association of Resident Doctors at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) Sagamu, to reconsider its stand by suspending the ongoing industrial action with a view to going back to the negotiation table to ensure an immediate resolution of all the outstanding issues surrounding the strike in the overall interest of the people of the State.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo made the appeal during a parley with all the stakeholders including the State Head of Service, Alhaja Selimot Ottun, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, Representatives of the Unions including the State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Oladayo Ogunlaja, Chairman, Association of Resident Doctors, OOUTH Chapter, Dr. Mutiu Popoola and Chairman, Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, OOUTH Chapter, Dr. Taibat Otulana amongst others at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Oluomo sought for the need for the striking workers to suspend their industrial action for a period of two weeks for negotiation to enable the Assembly convey the requests of the union to the State Government towards finding a lasting solution to issues which were inherited from the previous administrations.
Acknowledging the developmental strides of the Prince Dapo Abiodun led-government in the health sector to include employment of more health personnel, renovation of all categories of health facilities and procurement of modern health facilities, the Speaker noted that there was need for the striking doctors to immediately reconnect and ensure the sustenance of a more viable communication mechanism to resolve all grey areas with government, with a promise to personally convey the message of the doctors to the State Government.
In their submissions, Alhaja Ottun and Dr. Coker explained that the State government was ready to resolve all issues raised by the unions and could only embark on further negotiation in a peaceful working environment devoid of industrial disharmony, hence the appeal to them to call off their strike for two weeks to allow for negotiation with a view to identifying with the efforts of the present administration in the sector since assumption of office.
Earlier, the representatives of the unions including Dr. Ogunlaja Oladayo and Dr. Mutiu Popoola lauded Governor Abiodun for the recruitment of 82 resident doctors to boost the manpower capacity in the facility, which was saddled with the responsibility of delivering tertiary health care services, research and training of medical personnel; while appealing for the immediate constitution of the hospital’s governing board and appropriate placement of medical officers at the entry level for the resident doctors in public service amongst other issues raised.
