By Doris Obinna
The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) has decried what it described as a tendency of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) to shift from agreed terms and rules of the union’s engagement.
The union said it finds it imperative to draw attention to the various inconsistencies displayed by the Federal Government in the on-going negotiations with regards to the adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for health workers on the platform of JOHESU/AHPA.
In a letter to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the unions said government continued to ignore their demands for a long time.
The letter, signed by JOHESU’s acting national secretary, Mathew Ajorutu, disclosed a 15-day strike ultimatum, which took effect from Wednesday, May 10 and to end by midnight of Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
Ajorutu stated that the CONHESS, as agreed in terms of the settlement (TOS), of September 30, 2017, but has lingered since January 2, 2014; the payment of peculiar allowance to health workers under the aegis of JOHESU/AHPA.
“The immediate and unconditional implementation of the Consultant Cadre circular of pharmacist in all federal health institutions (FHIs); and the payment of all withheld salaries of JOHESU/AHPA members in Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owerri, Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and their withheld April and May 2018 salaries.”
Others, according to him; are the speedy adjustment of retirement age from 60 to 65 years; the exclusion of some health workers in the payment of new hazard allowance and the payment of COVID-19 allowance balance.
“If the FG does not stick to tenets of due process spelt in the agreement’s rules of engagement since the commencement of negotiations on the adjustment of CONHESS as was done for the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and the other lingering demands, within the 15-day window.
“It would be clear that it is the FG that should be held responsible for the fall-outs of a possible strike.”
They further accused the FG of displaying inconsistencies in the ongoing negotiations about the Adjustment of CONHESS.
“In particular, we note with dismay, the tendencies of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) to shift from agreed terms and rules of our engagement which had emphasised non-discrimination on whatever basis in the determination of the wages and benefit packages of health workers in Nigeria.”
JOHESU said recent communication from the FMoH attempted to sabotage the laudable report of the Technical Committee on the Adjustment of CONHESS as was done for the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), by claiming its implementation would distort existing CONMESS relativity with CONHESS.
They further clarified that for the records, the membership of the Technical Committee had representations from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FML&E), Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Budget Office, JOHESU/AHPA, FMoH & National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC).
“The NSIWC Executive Chairman was Head of the Technical Committee because of the perceived expertise in matters related to income, wages, salaries and compensation.”
The Unions enjoined its members to be calm and ready, while awaiting further communications from the National Secretariat in the days ahead.