A group of health workers under the auspices of the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) has commenced an indefinite strike nationwide to further press their demands on the federal government.
The National President of the union, Comrade Dr. Ogbonna Obinna made the announcement during a meeting with press men at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Oyo State on Monday.
Ogbonna said the industrial action was consequent on the failure of the government to execute “a collectively bargained agreement” it reached with the apex body since 2009.
He said that the union had earlier observed a 30 day ultimatum during which it met with high-powered delegates from the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Head of Service, Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission in order to reach acceptable grounds on the issues, but that the government had continued to pay lip service to their demands.
He said that “the union sees this development as an act of negligence on the part of Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) to address our issues. The issues under contention had been on since 2009 after the union had reached a collectively bargained agreement with the government”.
Ogbonna who numerated the demands of the union during his speech, included as part of the rationale behind the industrial action the non-implementation of the National Health Act, the lack of basic consumables in our facilities (e.g. reagents, drugs etc.) to treat patients in the hospitals; the lack of basic working equipment for diagnosis and treatment of patients; the structural defect and corruption at FMOH and other health facilities; the flagrant disobedience of Court Judgements by FMOH/CMDs/MDs t various Tertiary Health Institutions; the shortage of manpower in our various professions; the skipping of CONHESS 10 and payment of arrears in compliance with National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) judgement of July 22nd 2013; the adjustment of the CONHESS salary structure since 2014; the heavy Taxation of our members in a dwindling economy among others.
According to him, “the FMOH had not seen any reason to address our issues positively nor communicated the resolutions of the high powered meeting held on the 23rd of February, 2017 at the SGF’s office to us”.
“The union had waited patiently and had shown enough restraints and had exhausted all other industrial means because of the poor Nigerian masses who will suffer when we withdraw our services from the Health facilities nationwide. We have been pushed to the wall and this strike is inevitable.
“The union therefore declares this nationwide indefinite strike today, the 6th of March 2017. All Tertiary health Institutions, Federal Medical centers, State owned Institutions with similar problems are directed to commence on the strike immediately. We regret any inconveniences or avoidable sufferings and deaths that may arise as a result of this action. The Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Health are to blame. Therefore, members are enjoined to be on red alert for further directives,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Health has that it will react to the announcement on a later date as the information just got to them.