Resident doctors at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) have issued the Lagos State Government a seven-day ultimatum to implement the Specialist Allowance for Grade Level 14 doctors and settle outstanding salary and promotion-related arrears.
The doctors, under the Association of Resident Doctors, LASUTH (LASUTH-ARD), warned that failure to address the issues within the stipulated period could lead to further industrial action and heightened tension in the state’s health sector.
The association identified three key demands: immediate implementation and payment of the Specialist Allowance to all Grade Level 14 resident doctors; payment of accumulated arrears of the allowance; and settlement of outstanding salary shortfalls and advancement arrears.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos on Thursday, LASUTH-ARD President, Dr Gabriel Akerele, alleged that some government officials had misled the association regarding the inclusion of the Specialist Allowance for Senior Registrar 1 (SR1) doctors in the Professional Allowance Table approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Akerele said the association had repeatedly been assured that the allowance had been captured in the table forwarded to the governor for approval, only to discover that the August salaries of affected doctors did not reflect the payment.
“We were told that the Specialist Allowance for SR1 had been incorporated into the Professional Allowance Table and that it had been sent to Mr Governor for approval. We gave them the benefit of the doubt.
“We even met with Mr Governor on July 17. He brought out the file, went through it and approved it immediately. We were happy because we believed the Specialist Allowance had been captured.
“But after the August salary was paid, we discovered that it was not there. When we went back to the state officials, we started hearing another story that it was not actually included and that they were waiting for another list.”
The association said the development was particularly troubling because resident doctors in federal institutions had been receiving the allowance since February 2026, while states including Osun, Delta and Enugu had also commenced implementation.
Akerele added that the Federal Government had committed to paying 19 months’ arrears of professional allowances, with payment expected to commence this month.
“This is very disappointing and very painful. We were assured that it had been done, and we relied on those assurances in dealing with our members. Now we have discovered that it was not captured,” he said.
He explained that the Professional Allowance Table covered various components, including Specialist Allowance, Call Duty Allowance, Teaching Allowance and Rural Posting Allowance.
According to him, the Specialist Allowance should not be limited to consultants because Senior Registrars on Grade Level 14 were already receiving it at the federal level.
“The Specialist Allowance is part of the Professional Allowance Table. We insisted that Grade Level 14 resident doctors must be included because their counterparts at the federal level are being paid,” Gabriel said.
The doctors also complained about unpaid promotion-related salary arrears affecting members whose advancements became effective last year.
Akerele said some doctors received notional promotion in July 2025, with the financial implications expected to commence in September, but actual payment did not begin until November, leaving outstanding arrears for September and October.
“It is a shortfall in salary. These doctors have earned the promotion and are owed by right. We have written several letters, but we keep being told that arrears cannot be paid without express approval from the governor,” he said.
He appealed to Governor Sanwo-Olu to intervene, noting that the governor might not be aware that the Specialist Allowance was omitted from the approved document.
“We want Mr Governor to be aware of what is happening because he may believe that he has already signed and approved everything, not knowing that the Specialist Allowance was not captured.”
The association said it remained committed to dialogue but insisted that the welfare of its members could not be compromised.
“We cannot fold our hands while our members continue to suffer financial and career stagnation. To single out SR1s for exclusion and deny deserving members their promotion arrears is unjust, demoralising and counterproductive to healthcare delivery,” Akerele said.
The association said it had engaged officials of the Ministries of Health and Establishments and Training, the Public Service Office and the State Treasury Office over the matter.
It commended the governor for the payment of Medical Residency Training Funds and implementation of the Professional Allowance for doctors in Lagos, while also acknowledging the contributions of the First Lady, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, and Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, to healthcare delivery and industrial harmony.
The doctors warned that failure to resolve their demands within seven days would leave them with no option but to take further action.
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