Nigerian Navy Pledges to Resolve House Officers’ Salary Arrears Within Two Weeks

The Nigerian Navy has announced that the prolonged salary delays affecting several house officers at the Navy Reference Hospital in Calabar, Cross River State, will be cleared within the next two weeks.

The commitment follows a viral video appeal by one of the affected medical practitioners, Dr. Innocent, who disclosed that he and seven of his colleagues had been working at the medical facility for approximately 290 days without receiving their main salaries. He highlighted the demanding nature of their duties, noting that the house officers actively manage vital units such as the General Out-Patient Department and the Accident and Emergency Unit due to a shortage of resident doctors.

Responding to the development on Sunday, Navy Spokesperson Navy Captain Abi Folorunsho clarified that the affected doctors belong to a supplementary batch of house officers whose financial administration falls under the Ministry of Defence, distinct from the initial batch whose payments are processed regularly. Folorunsho added that the payment hitch is not unique to the naval hospital, as counterparts within the Army and Air Force medical facilities managed under the same Ministry of Defence arrangement are experiencing similar delays.

While acknowledging the challenging situation, the spokesperson emphasized that the hospital management has continually supported the affected medical personnel by paying them regular internal stipends alongside the initial batch of house officers. The Navy assured the public and the affected staff that active steps are being taken to rectify the administrative issues with the ministry to ensure full payment within the fortnight.