THE Lagos State government pressed ahead with its dismissal of striking medical doctors in the employment of the state on Thursday, with the issuance eviction notices to the affected resident doctors, requesting them to vacate their official quarters.
The eviction, signed and dated May 8 2012, comes despite Alausa’s repeated claims to be open for negotiations with the sacked doctors.
The notice stated that “Consequent upon your dismissal from the service of the Lagos State government with effect from 4th may, 2012 and in accordance with the civil service rule 13115, No officer shall continue to occupy state government quarters after the date on which his resignation/dismissal takes effect. I wish to request you to vacate the state government staff quarters.”
Reacting to the development, the First Vice President of the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, Johnson Emene, criticised the move, saying the doctors were covered by the Tenancy law.
“According to State Tenancy Law, tenants are entitled to six months’ eviction notice,” he said.
He added that the NMA had instructed the doctors to ignore the quit notice and that executives of the NMA had begun negotiations with the state government over the issue.
“We have told them not to panic. Within the next 13 hours, we are going to know the outcome. Nobody will evict the doctors between now and tomorrow,” Emene said.
However, efforts to reach Idris were unsuccessful as text message and calls put through to him were not replied.
It will be recalled that the state government sacked 788 striking doctors for their failure to respond to queries issued to them for going on strike.
The doctors were pressing for the full implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), an improved salary structure.