Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has approved an increase in the hazard allowance of health workers in the state public service from ₦5,000 to ₦25,000.
Sanwo-Olu, through a tweet by Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Jubril Gawat, on Tuesday said the increment was for the month of April 2020.
A circular dated April 21, 2020, and signed by the Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, which was attached to Gawat’s tweet, gave details of the payment.
The circular titled: “INCREMENT OF HAZARD ALLOWANCE FOR ALL HEALTH OFFICERS IN LAGOS STATE PUBLIC SERVICE” read thus:
“In appreciation of the dedication of all Health Officers in Lagos State to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, as well as their daily hazardous exposure to the highly contagious disease.
“It is hereby notified for general information that Mr. Governor has approved the increment of Hazard Allowance for all Health Officers in Lagos State from ₦5,000 (Five Thousand Naira) to ₦25,000 (Twenty-Five Thousand Naira) for the month of April 2020.
“The gesture is an incentive to all health officers in the state, as frontline responders in the fight against the pandemic.
“It is believed that the officers would reciprocate the same with more doggedness and enthusiasm towards duty in all health facilities state-wide.
“Furthermore, I wish to reiterate that our collective efforts will yield the desired result, as this pandemic shall pass.
“Accounting officers are enjoined to note the contents of this circular and give it the service-wide publicity it deserves.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu had earlier promised to increase hazard allowance for all health workers, irrespective of being on COVID-19 frontline or not.
Lagos state has been the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria, with a record of 376 confirmed cases at the moment, although some out of this lot have recovered and been discharged.
Source: VON
