Olusegun Adeyemo
Medical doctors under the employment of the Lagos State Government have declared a three-day warning strike, beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, July 28, 2025. The action, spearheaded by the Medical Guild, comes in protest against what the doctors described as the “unlawful and disrespectful” deduction of their salaries.
The strike, which will end at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 31, follows months of failed negotiations with the state government over the contentious deductions.
At a press conference held at the Guild’s secretariat in Lagos, the chairman, Dr. Japhet Olugbogi, explained that the dispute began in April 2025 when the state government made unilateral salary deductions affecting medical and dental officers without prior consultation or explanation.
“While many of our members initially pushed for immediate strike action, the Guild leadership chose to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue and negotiation,” said Dr. Olugbogi.
He revealed that following sustained engagement, the government reversed the initial deductions and a six-member conciliation committee—comprising representatives of both the Guild and government—was formed to address the matter. Both parties reportedly agreed to maintain the status quo pending a final resolution.
However, the Guild now accuses the Lagos State Treasury Office of breaching that agreement by making fresh salary deductions in July, prompting the call for industrial action.
The Guild is demanding:
Immediate reversal of the July salary deductions
Full payment of 12 months’ revised CONMESS arrears owed to honorary consultants at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH)
In addition, the union has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the government, warning that failure to meet these demands could lead to an indefinite strike.
Dr. Olugbogi expressed alarm at the worsening conditions within the state’s health sector, pointing to economic hardship, staff demoralization, and the increasing exodus of medical professionals from the country.
“It is deeply troubling that the most senior medical doctor in Lagos State earns less than $1,100 monthly. Rather than improve their welfare, the government is further cutting into their already insufficient salaries. This is unacceptable,” he stated.
He called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to personally intervene and avert a total breakdown in public healthcare delivery across the state.
The Guild noted that the decision to embark on the warning strike was reached at an emergency congress attended by over 385 doctors, where the motion was unanimously ratified.
Echoing the chairman’s sentiments, the Guild’s Secretary, Dr. Adekunle Akinade, affirmed that the union is fully prepared to escalate its actions if the state government fails to act swiftly and decisively.