Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, said he did not ask resident doctors in the state to forfeit their salary arrears.
The denial was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Chief John Kalu.
The PUNCH newspaper had on Sunday quoted the Publicity Secretary of Nationals Association of Resident Doctors in Abia State, Dr. Stanley Egbogu, as saying the governor had asked members to forfeit 16 months salary arrears for him to start implementing the new minimum wage for doctors in the state.
The paper said Egbogu made the claim in an exclusive interview with PUNCH HealthWise.
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However, Kalu in the statement titled, “Ikpeazu never asked resident doctors to forfeit salary arrears,” stated: “We wish to state categorically that contrary to the claims by the National Association of Resident Doctors, at no time did Governor Okezie Ikpeazu or Abia State Government ask resident doctors or any other worker of the state to forfeit any salary arrears.
“The administration is determined to continue to support ailing state parastatals to pay workers regularly and clear due arrears.”
