LASUTH Resident Doctors Give Lagos Govt 7-Day Ultimatum Over Unpaid Specialist Allowance, Salary Arrears

The Association of Resident Doctors, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH-ARD), has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Lagos State Government, demanding urgent resolution of outstanding specialist allowances and salary arrears owed to resident doctors at the institution.

The association warned that failure to address its demands within the stipulated timeframe could lead to further industrial action and create industrial disharmony within the state's health sector. LASUTH-ARD made the demand during a press briefing led by its President, Dr Akerele Alaba Gabriel.

The latest ultimatum follows a three-day warning strike embarked upon by the doctors between June 15 and 17, 2026, over broader concerns about their welfare and working conditions. Among the issues raised during that earlier warning strike were the immediate resumption of construction of resident doctors' quarters within LASUTH, implementation of the Professional Allowance Table (PAT) for Lagos State-employed doctors, payment of specialist allowance for Grade Level 14 resident doctors, also known as Senior Registrar 1 (SR1), and payment of salary shortfalls and advancement arrears owed to affected members.

According to the association, several meetings were subsequently held with Lagos State Government officials, during which assurances were reportedly given that the specialist allowance for SR1 resident doctors would be incorporated into the Professional Allowance Table. LASUTH-ARD said the matter was further discussed during a meeting with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on July 17, 2026, led by the Chairman of the Medical Guild, Dr Oluwole Olusanya, at which the association said the governor approved implementation of the Professional Allowance Table for resident doctors and other doctors across the state.

However, the association said it was surprised to discover that the specialist allowance was not reflected in the August salaries paid to affected members. Subsequent verification, according to LASUTH-ARD, showed that the specialist allowance for SR1 doctors had not, in fact, been included in the Professional Allowance Table ultimately approved by the governor. "This is an act of deceit and a breach of trust," the association said, insisting that the specialist allowance remained unpaid despite the earlier assurances.

Beyond the specialist allowance dispute, the doctors also raised concerns over the non-payment of salary shortfalls and advancement arrears owed to members who had earned promotions. LASUTH-ARD rejected the government's position that payment of such arrears requires express approval from the governor, arguing that affected doctors had already earned their promotions and were therefore entitled to the corresponding financial benefits without further approval. "We need to state categorically that this is a shortfall in salary for some of our members and needs to be paid," the association said.

LASUTH-ARD further noted that the specialist allowance in question had already been paid to resident doctors at federal institutions since February 2026, with some states, including Osun, Delta, and Enugu, having also implemented similar payments. It added that federal institutions were expected to begin paying 19 months of accumulated arrears starting in August, a development the association said made Lagos State's continued exclusion of SR1 resident doctors from the allowance particularly difficult to justify. The association described the exclusion as "unjust, demoralising and counterproductive to healthcare delivery in Lagos State," adding, "We cannot fold our hands while our members continue to suffer financial and career stagnation."

LASUTH-ARD outlined three immediate actions it is demanding from the state government: implementation and payment of the specialist allowance to Grade Level 14 resident doctors, payment of all outstanding arrears tied to that allowance, and immediate settlement of outstanding salary shortfalls and advancement arrears owed to affected members.

The association appealed directly to Governor Sanwo-Olu to intervene personally and ensure the issues are resolved in the interest of fairness, equity, and quality healthcare delivery within the state. "We remain committed to dialogue but we will not compromise on the welfare of our members," LASUTH-ARD said.

Despite the firm tone of its demands, the association commended the governor for the payment of Medical Residency Training Funds to resident doctors and the implementation of professional allowances more broadly for doctors in Lagos State. It also acknowledged the contributions of Lagos State First Lady, Dr Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, and Deputy Governor Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, toward healthcare delivery and industrial harmony within the state's health sector.

Nonetheless, the doctors maintained that failure to resolve their demands within the seven-day window would leave them with "no option but to take further actions," warning that such steps could result in renewed industrial disharmony within Lagos State's health system.

The LASUTH dispute adds to a broader pattern of unresolved welfare grievances among resident doctors across Nigeria's public health institutions, with disparities in the implementation of allowances between federal and state-owned hospitals continuing to fuel recurring tension between medical associations and various tiers of government nationwide.