Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System
Ambulance Service Staff appeal to Akwa Ibom Governor over unpaid salaries
Healthcare workers in Akwa Ibom State have appealed to Governor Umo Eno to intervene after claiming they have not been paid for six months despite working under the state’s new Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (AKISEMSAS).
In an open letter addressed to the governor, the staff said they had been serving without salaries or formal appointment letters since the service was officially launched on 1 March 2025.
“We find ourselves working tirelessly saving lives, rushing to emergencies, and even relocating to distant Local Government Areas yet doing all this with empty pockets, empty kitchens, and broken spirits,” the letter read.
The workers said many had left previous jobs in the hope of a better future under Governor Eno’s Arise Agenda. Instead, they described their situation as “heartbreaking”, alleging that some of them were now unable to afford transport to work, buy medicines, or feed their families.
“Some of us sleep on empty stomachs while trying to rescue others from death, Depression is creeping in. Our survival is at stake”, they wrote.
The employees also raised concerns that they would be expected to cover the forthcoming Akwa Ibom Sports Festival without financial support for food or transport.
Despite the challenges, the staff expressed gratitude to the governor for his broader efforts in the state and said they believed he might be unaware of their plight.
“We are proud to serve, we are proud to save lives, but we also want to live,” the letter concluded.
The Akwa Ibom State Government has not yet publicly responded to the allegations.
