Lagos Doctors Declare 3-Day Warning Strike Over Unlawful Salary Deductions
Medical doctors employed by the Lagos State Government have declared a three-day warning strike over what they described as an “illegal and disrespectful” salary deduction by the state government.
Operating under the aegis of the Medical Guild, the doctors said the industrial action would commence at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, July 28, 2025, and end at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 31, 2025, unless the government reverses the deductions and meets other outstanding demands.
At a press conference held Saturday in Lagos, the Guild’s chairman, Dr. Japhet Olugbogi, stated that the decision followed the failure of the state to honour agreements reached after previous negotiations.
Olugbogi said the conflict originated from a unilateral deduction from doctors’ April 2025 salaries, a move that was met with outrage from members. Although the initial deductions were reversed after talks with the government, a six-member conciliation committee was formed, with both sides agreeing to maintain the salary status quo pending further government deliberation.
However, the Guild said it was blindsided again in July when the Lagos State Treasury Office reintroduced the salary cut—an act they described as a breach of trust.
Among the Guild’s key demands are the immediate reversal of the July deductions, full payment of 12-month revised CONMESS arrears owed to honorary consultants at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), and a clear commitment from the government to avoid future unilateral actions.
“We took the path of diplomacy and dialogue, but the state has repeatedly ignored our goodwill,” said Olugbogi. “Let it be known that the most senior doctor in Lagos State employment does not earn up to $1,100, and yet, the government deems it fit to further reduce that meagre income.”
He urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to personally intervene to prevent what could become a total breakdown of the public health system.
The Guild also resolved to issue a 21-day ultimatum following the warning strike. Should the government fail to meet its demands within that period, it warned that an indefinite strike would follow.
According to Guild Secretary, Dr. Adekunle Akinade, more than 385 doctors attended the emergency congress where the strike decision was ratified.
