"Federal Govt Pays N20bn As COVID-19 Allowance To Health Workers" - Health Minister Reveals
Federal Government says it has paid N20 billion as COVID-19 allowance to health workers in the country.
Joy Kalu 
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora has stated that the Federal Government has paid up to N20bn in COVID-19 allowance to doctors and health workers in the country.
The minister who praised all front-line health workers in the country amid the fight against the pandemic, made this known on Wednesday while featuring on Channels Television‘s program, Sunrise Daily.
The Minister stated: “We’ve been able to disburse close to N20 billion and I repeat close to 20 billion. So, to now say nothing has been done, that is not true."
Dr. Mamora stressed that the Federal Government had to stop the payment of hazard allowance to the health workers because of renegotiation with them.
He added: “We were able to pay April, May full, June, part of it has been paid but not fully paid and it’s because of the economic situation and these funds have to be sourced for one way or the other."
According to the Minister, the funds were paid to “Federal health institutions” across the country including Federal Medical Centres (FMCs), teaching hospitals among others.
Commenting on the N5,000 hazard allowance for doctors and health workers, the Minister said that the payment has existed in the country for about 30 years but was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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It was further gathered that the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had on Monday embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike to press home its demand.
According to the union, the doctors are downing tools and demanding a pay rise, better welfare, and adequate facilities.
“We have kicked off the strike today,” NARD president Aliyu Sokomba said, adding that medics treating virus cases would join the action this time around.
“There will be no exemptions."
“We have arrears of 2014, 2015, 2016, salary shortfalls that were supposed to have been paid over six years ago, still pending, these are the issues we have and they appear not to have been addressed up till this day."
