Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, on Friday, announced the clearance of the arrears of staff of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) and CONHESS/CONMESS of health workers totalling over ₦1,005,496,729.76.
This gesture, the governor said is aimed at ensuring optimal healthcare delivery and a demonstration of his unwavering commitment to the welfare of the state’s workforce.
Governor Alia in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, also said the move was to relieve the financial encumbrances faced by healthcare professionals, and emphasized the necessity of investing in the people who serve the community.
He highlighted a breakdown of the outstanding arrears expenditures to include: 2023 Promotion Arrears (13 Months)-2024 Promotion Arrears (1 Month); Relativity Allowances for Honorary Consultants (2 Months) – Hazard Allowance Arrears (21 Months) -Accouterments Arrears (2023–2024) – Staff Death Benefits Arrears.
“Additionally, the release of ₦398,568,662 for the reviewed CONHESS/CONMESS monthly payments further demonstrates his unwavering intent to ensure that healthcare workers are fairly rewarded and compensated on time.
“This combined effort for the payment of the arrears amounts to an impressive total of ₦1,005,496,729.76. This, no doubt, represents a substantial investment in the state’s healthcare system”.
Governor Alia explained that by prioritizing the financial stability of healthcare workers, it is clear that his aim of motivating and empowering them for improved service delivery is realized.
He said with his achievement at BSUTH, he has positively impacted the civil service as a whole, adding that this would effectively address the concerns of core civil servants and senior citizens (pensioners), clearing 35 months of Earned and Academic Earned Allowances for staff of Benue State, among many other significant steps aimed at repositioning the civil service system.
He solicited the support of all citizens of the state in his quest to deliver quality services and ensure that the needs of healthcare workers are met.
