Health workers body orders members to begin strike

By Ukpono Ukpong

Following the Federal Government’s failure to meet the demands of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) at the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum, it ordered all its members to withdraw their services from midnight, September 13.

This was contained in a letter signed by JOHESU president, Comrade Biobelemoye Josiah, and addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.

According to the letter, JOHESU leadership took the decision at the weekend during its expanded National Executive Council meeting.

The union said: “You would recall that at the end of the meeting held in your office on Thursday, September 10, 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 on Saturday, September, 12, 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 the Federal Government’s inability to meet their demands.”

The Minister of Labour last week had convened a conciliatory meeting in a bid to address outstanding issues and avert the strike.

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Ngige, during the meeting, said that N126 billion has been appropriated in the 2020 COVID-19 Intervention Appropriation Act for infrastructure upgrading and equipment for the health sector during the period but blamed the misunderstanding on a communication gap.

In a report read by the minister at the end of the meeting, it was agreed that “the unions be carried along in the affairs of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 to ensure proper communication”, and Private Sector engagement encouraged to add value to the Health Sector investment generally.