By Aideloje Ojo, Minna
The Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative (GAVI) staff engaged by the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency (NSPHCDA) in 2023 under contract appointment have urged Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to absorbed them into permanent employment of the state.
Gavi staff stated this in a Save- our- Soul (SoS) letter to the Governor in which they also appealed for the payment of five months salaries owed by the employer.
In the letter submitted through the Chief of Staff to the Governor, the staff lamented that despite assurances to normalise thier appointment at the expiration of the contract, permanent employment letters have not been issued to any of them.
“Although our contract was set to end in March 2025, we were informed that our services would be retained due to our critical role in the state’s healthcare system. However, we are yet to receive official confirmation or appointment letters for permanent employment till now” they said, adding that for over five months we have not been paid salaries making lives more difficult for us.
“While we were informed that your Excellency approved our absorption into permanent employment, we are yet to receive appointment letters or formal confirmation”, theysaid.
While pleading for urgent intervention of Governor Bago, the GAVI staff pledged their commitment to serving the people of Niger state, adding that, ” we also believe that our dedication and hard work have contributed significantly to improving healthcare delivery in Niger State”.
“In the light of the above challenges we appeal to the Governor to kindly fast-track our absorption into permanent employment and immediate release of unpaid salaries for February and March 2025 to help meet our family upkeep”, the pleaded.
