Governor Babatunde Fashola Issues Counter Order Against Eviction of Sacked Doctors in Lagos

The strife between the Lagos State Government and striking doctors in the state has continued to weave itself around several twists and turns, with everyone eagerly watching to see what the end result would be.

Since the doctors embarked on an indefinite strike on Tuesday April 24, 2012 to press home their demands for the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS, various actions and counter actions have emerged from both parties.

First came the sack of 788 doctors by the Lagos State Government on Monday May 7, 2012 following ‘their refusal to answer to queries to explain why they were absent from work without leave and without the due observance of the rules and regulations guiding strikes and industrial actions in the State’s Public Service’.

Barely 24 hours after this, the state government offered to negotiate with the sacked doctors. And while we were still absorbing that information, the state government issued eviction notices to the sacked doctors resident in official quarters.

The eviction notice dated May 8, 2012, and signed by Secretary, Staff Housing Board for the Head of Service, Mr. L. A. Shoyemi, directed all doctors to vacate their official residence with immediate effect.

The news was met with criticism from the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA and other concerned parties.

And then last weekend, Governor Babatunde Fashola directed that none of the sacked Lagos doctors should be evicted from their quarters.

Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Professor Adewale David Oke, said even though the eviction notice was in line with civil service rules, the governor expressly maintained that the doctors should not be evicted from their quarters.

He said: “Yes, there was an eviction order but the governor has given another directive which overrides the eviction notice. The doctors should not be evicted. We already bought some padlocks to lock up the place but we could not do it because of the governor’s order. If they are no longer in their quarters, then they left on their own. We only locked up the Association of Resident Doctors’ lounge to avoid invasion of the place by intruders since there was nobody there.”

Warning strike, Indefinite Strike, Sack, Negotiation, Fresh Recruitment, Evicition, Counter Order……. we eagerly await the peaceful resolution of the strife between both parties.

News Source: Vanguard News