The Ministry of Defence has dismissed reports alleging that House Officers and Interns at the Armed Forces Reference Hospitals have not been paid their allowances, describing the claims as inaccurate and confirming that payment of outstanding arrears has already commenced.
The ministry’s clarification follows a viral video in which a House Officer at the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, Calabar, who identified himself only as Innocent, alleged that he and his colleagues had worked for about 290 days without receiving their salaries.
In the video, he claimed repeated efforts to resolve the issue were unsuccessful, alleging that their contact person at the ministry could not give a definite timeline for payment.
He also said the prolonged delay had placed severe financial and emotional strain on the affected House Officers and Interns.
However, in a statement on Monday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Richard Pheelangwah, the ministry said payments had been made in phases, while efforts were ongoing to clear the remaining arrears as more funds became available.
The ministry stated, “Ministry of Defence has noted reports alleging the non-payment of allowances to House Officers and Interns at Armed Forces Reference Hospitals. These claims are inaccurate. Payment of outstanding allowances has commenced.”
According to the ministry, the first tranche of payments was made on March 26, 2026, covering January and February allowances for Batches A and B.
It said another payment was effected on April 30, 2026, for March allowances for the same batches, while on July 8, 2026, April allowances for Batches A and B, as well as December 2025 and January 2026 allowances for Batch C, were paid.
The ministry explained that the delay in payment was caused by the absence of budgetary allocation for the programme in the 2026 Appropriation Act, rather than any administrative failure.
“The delay is attributable to the absence of budgetary allocation for the payment of these allowances since January 2026 and not to any administrative lapse on the part of the Ministry,” the statement said.
It disclosed that the Ministry had formally notified the Budget Office of the Federation about the funding shortfall through official correspondence dated February 18, 2026, and July 1, 2026, requesting urgent intervention.
Providing details of the programme, the ministry said a total of 703 House Officers and Interns were engaged under the 2025/2026 House Officers and Interns Programme.
It noted that Batches A and B had now been paid up to April 2026, while Batch C, comprising 90 House Officers and Interns, had received allowances for December 2025 and January 2026.
The statement described the funding gap as unprecedented.
“The outstanding arrears arose because no budgetary provision was made for the House Officers and Interns Programme in the 2026 Appropriation Act. This is an unprecedented development and the first occurrence since the inception of the programme,” it said.
The ministry further stressed the importance of the programme, noting that it has remained a vital part of military healthcare for over 40 years.
“For over four decades, the House Officers and Interns Programme has remained a statutory and strategic component of the Ministry’s healthcare system, contributing significantly to the training of medical professionals for the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the nation at large,” the statement added.
Reaffirming its commitment to resolving the issue, the ministry said it appreciated the patience and understanding of the affected medical personnel and their families.
“The Ministry remains fully committed to resolving the funding challenge and appreciates the patience, understanding, and dedication of the affected House Officers, Interns, and their families,” Pheelangwah said.
The ministry also urged members of the public to ignore what it described as misleading reports on the matter.
“Members of the public are advised to disregard misleading reports and rely only on official communications issued by the Ministry of Defence,” the statement added.
The PUNCH