Health workers give FG fresh 15-day strike notice

Activities in the public health sector may be shut down nationwide in two weeks following a fresh ultimatum issued by the workers’ union and the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals to commence an industrial action if the Federal Government fails to address their demands.

The 15-day strike notice was the resolution adopted by the groups after a meeting on Friday.

The Joint Health Sector Unions on September 2 had given the FG a 15-day ultimatum to address its demands.

The government had reached an agreement with the unions, after a five-hour meeting on September 7.

After the expiry of the earlier ultimatum on Friday, JOHESU Acting National Secretary, Matthew Ajorutu, in a communiqué issued at the end of an expanded national executive council’s emergency meeting on Friday, announced the fresh notice of strike.

The expanded NEC comprises presidents and general secretaries of affiliate unions and professional associations, NEC members of affiliate unions, JOHESU chairmen and secretaries at the state and branch levels.

Ajorutu said the meeting reviewed JOHESU’s previous engagements with the federal government, and considered the appeal from President Muhammadu Buhari “on the need to show understanding with his administration and the president’s promise to pay any debt owed to health workers”.

The acting national secretary said the fresh 15-day ultimatum commences on September 18, 2021, and urged the federal government to speed up efforts to address the demands of the health workers.

“The Federal Government should ensure that the new data for the computation of the adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for JOHESU members be completed and submitted to the ‘High Level Body (HLB)’ of the FG not later than Wednesday, 22nd September, 2021, as agreed,” the communique reads.

“NEC-in-session urges the Federal Government to ensure that the ‘High Level Body (HLB)’ completes and submits the computation of the adjusted CONHESS for inclusion in the 2022 budget within the 30th September, 2021 submission window.

“NEC-in-session urges the Federal Government to reciprocate the patriotic humanitarian gesture of JOHESU in the interest of the larger Nigerian masses to expeditiously resolve all the demands within the 15-day window.”