Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, has approved a N200,000 increase in the monthly salaries of doctors in Delta State, alongside a N100,000 tax-free allowance for house officers, in a move aimed at attracting and retaining medical professionals.
The Commissioner for Health, Joseph Onojaeme, disclosed the development during a press briefing, explaining that the new package forms part of the administration’s “MORE Special Allowance” initiative.
According to him, entry-level doctors will now earn N570,000 monthly, an increase from the previous N370,000. House officers will also see their earnings rise from over N250,000 to above N350,000.
Onojaeme said the decision was informed by the low turnout of doctors in the ongoing recruitment exercise, despite a high volume of applications.
He noted that more than 6,000 candidates applied for over 700 available health sector positions, but relatively few qualified doctors showed up.
The commissioner expressed optimism that the improved remuneration would boost participation among medical professionals and help address staffing gaps in the state’s health sector.
He further assured that the recruitment process would remain transparent and strictly merit-based, stressing that no form of payment or influence would be tolerated.
