President Muhammadu Buhari has urged health workers to remain patient with the administration, stating that the outbreak of coronavirus has taken its toll on the country’s economy, particularly the depreciation in crude oil revenue.
The president admonished the members of the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly Healthcare Professionals Associations who visited him at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday.
Buhari said,
“Your case is certainly receiving attention, but you must bear in mind the condition that the country is in now. Coronavirus is not improving matters.
“It is affecting what we very much depend on, the petroleum industry and therefore revenue.”
The unions who have been demanding an upward review of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, have also demanded the gazetting of the scheme of service for nurses and teaching allowances.
The group have also staged protests against the non-payment of their April and May 2018 salaries.
However, Buhari who spoke in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, urged them to exercise patience as their demands have been acknowledged by the government;
He said;
“So please try and help us with your people. Let us be patriotic, let us look at the ways and means of the government and appeal for restraint,”
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“We have to emphasise that it is very important we maintain cohesion together because if we allow sentiments or popularity to overwhelm our reasoning faculties, we will be in trouble and it will be too late for us to adjust, so please bear with us.”