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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
To avert a total shutdown of Nigeria’s health sector, the Federal Government will meet with the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals (JOHESU) on Tuesday in Abuja, spokesman of the Ministry of Labour and Employment Mr Charles Akpan has said.
JOHESU had on August 2 issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, threatening to embark on an industrial action if its demand for the payment of outstanding allowances is not fulfilled.
JOHESU’s strike notice came barely a week after the Nigeria Medical Association and its affiliates also handed down a 21-day ultimatum to declare an industrial action if the Federal Government failed to resolve all the issues contained in the various agreements signed with the doctors.
This is against the backdrop of a nationwide strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) having reached its fifth week.
JOHESU in the letter written by its National President, Mr Biobelemonye Josiah, demanded an adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure as was done with Consolidated Medical Salary Structure since 2014; payment of all withheld April and May 2018 salaries of its members and withheld salaries in Federal Medical Centre, Owerri; Jos University Teaching Hospital and Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
The health workers union also requested for a review of the defective implementation of COVID-19 Special Inducement and Hazard Allowance; implementation of National Industrial Court of Nigeria Alternative Dispute Resolution Consent judgment and other court judgments; increase in the retirement age from 60 to 65 years for health workers and 70 years for Consultant Health Professionals.
Others are payment of reviewed hazard allowance in terms of payment that guarantee fairness and justice to all concerned, payment of actual 30 per cent consolidated basic shift duty allowance to Nurses/Midwives and others; payment of teaching allowance to members on CONHESS 7 and 8, Nurses, Midwives and others, and proper placement of Nurse Graduates and Interns, among other demands.
