Governor Makinde Told To Implement Demands Of Striking University Doctors In Oyo State

The Oyo State Chapter of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), has called on the State Government to immediately without any condition implements all the demands of the striking doctors under the umbrella of the Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria (MDCAN), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso chapter.

In a statement issued on Wednesday which was signed by the State Secretary of the party, Ayodeji Adigun, the SPN maintained that if demands of the doctors were implemented it would help to reposition the hospital and expand its scope and services.
Titled: “LAUTECH Doctors’ strike: SPN calls on Oyo State Governor Makinde to accede to their demands,” the party urged the organised labour to embark on actions that would force the government to accede to the demand of the doctors.

The statement partly read: “The attention of the Socialist Party of Nigeria, SPN, Oyo State Chapter has been drawn to the decision of members of the Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria (MDCAN), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso Chapter, to withdraw services until the state government accedes to their demands.

“Notably among the demands of the striking doctors include: adequate and proper funding of the institution; recruitment of doctors and other staff for optimal functioning of the hospital; improvement of the hospital facilities for better training, services and research which the hospital is established to subserve and immediate payment of all the 2016 to 2017 salary arrears.

“SPN supports these demands and strongly believes that their implementation will help to reposition the hospital including an expansion of its scope and services.”
It added, “Given the noise and propaganda of Seyi Makinde-led government over the single ownership of LAUTECH including the establishment of its satellite campus in Iseyin, we strongly hold that there is no justification for the non-implementation of all of the aforementioned demands of the striking doctors.
“It is in the light of this, we call for an immediate implementation of the demands of the striking doctors. We also urge the doctors themselves to begin to organize mass activities like public rallies, town hall meetings including mass circulation of sensitisation materials like leaflets.

“This is with a view to explaining to the general public why they are on strike and solicit the support to prevail on the state government to accede to their demands so that they can return to work.

“We also call on the state leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, to also organise a series of solidarity action and ensure that the demands of the striking doctors are acceded to by the government.”