Reps approve N4bn as hazard allowance for resident Doctors

The House of Representatives has allocated N4 billion as hazard allowance to Resident doctors in the 10.801 trillion revised 2020 budget.

This comes after the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, at a meeting with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) over the planned strike promised that the House will intervene and make law on their hazard allowance.

The meeting was attended by the two ministers of health, Osagie Ehanire, and Olorumibe Mamora; the Director General of Budget Office, Ben Akabueze; the president of NARD, Dr Sokomba Aliyu; the Secretary General of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Dr Ekpe Philips.

The Speaker hinted at the meeting that, the issues of doctors’ hazard allowance has been captured in the supplementary budget before the House.

He added that the House would come up with a law that would not only back the payment of hazard allowance but also define same for clarity.

The N4bn fund will be allocated through adjustments made from service wide votes.