Nigeria’s health sector workers, under the umbrella of Joint Health Sector Unions, will begin a nationwide strike from midnight of Sunday, September 13, 2020.
This follows the deadlock of a meeting between the union and government officials over unpaid salaries and Covid-19 hazard allowances.
In a statement on Sunday, JOHESU declared that leaders of the different health unions unanimously took the decision at the end of their expanded National Executive Council.
The union conveyed its decision to go on with the strike through a memo to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige. Those who signed the memo JOHESU President, Biobelemoye Josiah; Secretary-General, Dr. Silas Adamu; President of Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes, Dr. Benjamin Akintola; General Secretary, Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals, Martin Egbanubi.
“You would recall that at the end of the meeting held in your office on Thursday September 10 2020, JOHESU demanded that the outcome of the meeting between JOHESU and the Federal Government be reported back to our expanded NEC meeting and give a feed back to the Federal government within 48 hours.
“In the light of the above, the meeting of our expanded NEC was held Saturday 12 September 2020. And at the end of the meeting, which was held both physically and virtually, it was unanimously agreed that since nothing concrete was achieved at the said meeting with the Federal Government, that the strike notice is still germane and alive.
“Therefore, the 15-day ultimatum still subsists and with effect from midnight of Sunday, 13th September, 2020 our members shall withdraw their services due to Federal Government’s inability to meet their demands,” the statement added.
