Enugu Approves 30k Monthly ‘Allawee’ For Medical Corp Members

Enugu state government has announced an increase in the allowance for National Youth Service Corps member’s serving in primary healthcare facilities.

The commissioner for information Ogbuagu Anikwe on Wednesday disclosed this in Enugu while updating newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting.

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However, he made it clear that the increment of the allowance is basically for corps members serving in primary healthcare facilities in the rural area of the state.

Anikwe said it will actually cause the Government an addition of N31.2 million per annum to implement the plan.

He explained that the numerous challenges facing the state in recruiting medical personnel in primary healthcare, prompted the state government into increasing the incentives of the Corp members.

According to him, the increased allowances will help motivate serving corp members in rural areas and also attract upcoming corpers.

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Anikwe further explained that the increment will further ensure that health services is taken closer to rural dwellers.

The commissioner revealed that medical doctors serving in hospitals in rural areas would henceforth receive N30, 000 monthly from the state government as against N3, 800 being given to them currently.

Meanwhile, he said, pharmacists, nurses, radiographers, laboratory scientists and statisticians would receive a monthly stipend of N20, 000.

He further announced that the government also plans to review the service condition and welfare of other set of corps members in the state.

“The government has approved that each corps member selected to work as a medical doctor in government hospital in the rural areas will get a monthly stipend of N30, 000,” he said.

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“All of these will cost the government extra N31.2 million per annum but it is an expense that is worth it. It is to ensure that health facilities are available at the door steps of our people.

“Before now, Enugu had a peculiar problem because the state was paying a certain amount as allowance and it led to an influx of youth corps members from all over the country, wanting to serve here.

“It then became impossible for the state government to continue to sustain that stipend because we are not out of the woods yet.

“So, we are not unmindful of what to do for corps members but everything we are doing, we check our purse.

“I am sure that as the finances of the state government improves, we will come to a point where everybody is given an allowance that enables them cope with the condition of life in the country.”

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