Abia Governor orders salary structure harmonization for teaching hospital staff

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has directed the immediate harmonization of the 2023 and 2025 Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for medical staff at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) in Aba. The governor issued the directive on Thursday after receiving a progress report from the hospital's Board and Management.

“

The huge investment my administration is making in the health sector, including the consistent allocation of 15 per cent of the state’s annual budget to healthcare, is driven by my desire to provide affordable and quality healthcare to Abians, not to make profit.

Governor Otti stressed that the welfare and working conditions of healthcare professionals are a priority for his administration. He highlighted that the significant investment in the health sector, including allocating 15 percent of the state's annual budget to healthcare, is driven by a desire to provide affordable, quality healthcare to the citizens of Abia, not for profit. Otti reiterated his commitment to transforming ABSUTH into a world-class tertiary healthcare institution.

“

The facilities have now been returned to the management of the Teaching Hospital.

The governor expressed surprise that the 2023 CONMESS, which he had previously approved, was not fully implemented before the 2025 review. He noted that implementing the 2023 structure would have placed Abia's health workers on a better salary scale than their federal counterparts. "When the request came, my understanding is that it was going to be better than the Federal. Before I approved it, I asked a question about total cost of employment so that I could cross-check with my budget. So, when I looked at it, I found that we could accommodate it, and I approved it," Otti stated.

“

When the request came, my understanding is that it was going to be better than the Federal. Before I approved it, I asked a question about total cost of employment so that I could cross-check with my budget. So, when I looked at it, I found that we could accommodate it, and I approved it.

To address the discrepancies, Governor Otti instructed the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ifeyinwa Uma-Kalu, and the Chief Medical Director of ABSUTH, Prof. Nneka Okoronkwo, to collaborate on harmonizing the 2023 and 2025 CONMESS structures. Their recommendations are to be submitted for appropriate action. The governor also mentioned that some ABSUTH facilities, previously handed over to private entities by the prior administration, have been recovered following negotiations and settlements.

“

Going back to what you have is strange; let us make this job easier for ourselves.