LASG Refutes NMA’s Salary Deduction Claims, Says No Deliberate Cuts Took Place
The Lagos State Government has dismissed allegations by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos Chapter, that salaries of medical and dental doctors were deliberately reduced.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Mr. Afolabi Ayantayo, clarified that the temporary discrepancies in payment were the result of administrative adjustments aimed at aligning salaries with actual entitlements under a more transparent remuneration system.
“At no point did the State Government deliberately reduce or deduct salaries. What was observed was part of an internal process to ensure doctors receive exactly what is due to them. All affected doctors have now been fully refunded,” Ayantayo explained.
He added that henceforth, payments would reflect the final agreement between the Lagos State Government and the Medical Guild, ensuring stability, clarity, and competitiveness in doctors’ compensation.
The Commissioner stressed that Lagos doctors remain the highest paid in Nigeria’s public healthcare system, with the State going beyond union demands in areas such as timely salary payments, investments in health infrastructure, and staff capacity development.
Reiterating its commitment to workers’ welfare, the government urged the NMA and other stakeholders to prioritise constructive dialogue over public statements capable of misleading health workers and the general public.
