Health workers issue strike notice over unresolved demands

Health workers under the aegis of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) have issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government over unresolved demands.

JOHESU embarked on a 25-day strike in May last year over the government’s refusal to address their demands.

They later suspended the strike following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention.

The union’s demands include payment of COVID-19 hazard allowance to members, tax waiver on health care workers’ allowances, and the immediate suspension of the planned establishment of an agency to regulate the activities in national health facilities, among others.

In a memo sent to journalists on Thursday and signed by its national chairman and secretary, JOHESU lamented that federal government has not been able to address the demands since June last year when the workers suspended the strike.

The workers threatened to embark on a seven-day warning strike if the government fails to address the demands at the end of the ultimatum.

READ ALSO: We are seeing signs of Nigerian govt’s readiness to meet our demands – JOHESU

The memo read: “Consequently, arising from the unanimous resolution of JOHESU Expanded National Executive Council at a hybrid meeting held on 2nd October 2024, and in compliance with the provisions of Section 41 of the Trade Disputes Act Cap.T8 LFN, 2004, JOHESU is constrained to give the Federal Government of Nigeria 15 days ultimatum with effect from Thursday, 10th October 2024, and to inform you that with effect from midnight of Friday, October 25, 2024, all our members in the Federal Health Institutions shall embark on seven days strike action.

“However, if at the end of the seven-day warning strike, the Federal government fails to meet our demands, JOHESU has no other option than to embark on an indefinite strike action.

“Honourable Minister Sir, you will agree with us that JOHESU has always exhibited maturity, selflessness, and patriotism even in the face of extreme provocations and the government’s long delay in meeting these demands of workers under JOHESU and we think that our maturity and patriotism have been taken for granted.”

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