By Victor Ahiuma-Young

THE Federal Government has announced plans to phase out hazard allowance paid to medical doctors and other health workers in medical centres and clinics in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.

A circular by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, NSIWC, signed by its Chairman, Ekpto U.O Nta, said:  “It should be noted that the payment of hazard allowance in the Federal Public Service will be phased out where applicable soon as the on-going migration of all federal government workers, including medical and health workers, to Employees Compensation Act. 2010 is concluded.”

The circular, dated December 22, 2021, was addressed to Chief of Staff to the President, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ministers/Ministers of State, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Chairman, Federal Commissions and Federal Permanent Secretaries.

Others are Clerk of the National Assembly, Secretary, National Judicial Council Secretary, Federal Judicial Services Commissions, Director-General and Chief Executives of Parastatals, Agencies and Government Owned Companies, Auditor-General for the Federation, Accountant-General of the Federation and Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation.

Meanwhile the circular also announced the approval of President Muhammad Buhari for upward review of medical doctors’ and other health workers’ hazard allowance in Federal Medical Centres and clinics in MDAs.

The circular, titled “Review of Hazard Allowance Applicable in Federal Hospitals, Medical Centres, and Clinics in Ministries, Departments and Agencies”, said:   “Following the engagements between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Unions’ Associations in the health sector which were conciliated by the Minister of Labour and Employment, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has approved the review of hazard allowance applicable in Federal Hospitals, Medical Centres and Clinics in Ministries, Departments and Agencies.” 

According to the review, a CONHESS non-Clinical staff on grade level 01 to 05, effective December 1, 2021, would be paid hazard allowance of N15,000 monthly as against instead of N5000.

For CONNESS Clerical on grade level  01 to 05, instead of N5,000.00, would earn N16,000.00 monthly.

The circular said for CONNESS Non Clinical staff on grade level 06 to 12, as against N5,000.00, would be paid hazard allowance of  N30,000.00, while CONNESS Clinical staff on grade level 06 to 12  will paid N32,000.00 monthly as against N5,000.00.

Similarly, CONNESS Non-Clinical staff on grade level 13 to15, instead of  N5,000.00, would be paid N32000.00, CONNESS Clinical staff on grade level 13 to 15, instead of  N5,000.00, would be paid N34,000.00 monthly.

According to the circular, for interns/NYSC Doctors on CONMESS, as against N5000 a month, they would be paid N32, 000 monthly.

Those on grade level 02, would be paid N32,000 monthly as against N5000.

Also, those on grade level 03 and 04, instead of N5000, they would be paid N35,000 monthly, while those on grade level 05 to 07 would be paid N40,000 monthly as against N5000.

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