JOHESU’s new leaders pledge to address unjust treatment of health workers

The newly inaugurated leadership of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) has vowed to intensify efforts to address existing demands before the federal government, especially the unjust treatment and discrimination of health workers in the country.

Speaking at the official handover ceremony on Thursday in Abuja, the new National Chairman, Comrade Kabiru Minjibir, pledged to ensure that his administration would improve upon the legacy and achievements of his predecessors, taking the union to greater heights.

He said, “This renewed mandate given to me by my union is a Clarion call to take JOHESU to the next level of better representation and stronger engagement with other social partners to demand improved working conditions and ensure equal opportunity and social justice for members of JOHESU affiliates in the health sector.

“The major focus of this new leadership shall include, amongst others: intensive struggle for the adjustment of CONHESS, payment of arrears of CONHESS review (peculiar allowance), upward review of the retirement age of health workers, continued legislative struggle to amend Decree 10 of 1985, challenge all forms of discriminatory practices, and unjust treatment of JOHESU members.”

Earlier, the outgoing acting National Chairman of JOHESU, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, urged the new leadership to ensure proper follow-up with the federal government and other relevant agencies on pending issues that, when addressed, would benefit health workers in the country.

Ogbonna, who noted that the outgoing leadership steered the affairs of the union from 2015 to 2023, disclosed that at least ten issues were resolved within the period of their leadership.

He listed the achievements as: “establishment of more regulatory councils; enhanced call duty allowance; extension of call duty allowance to other health workers on-call duties; approval of pharmacist consultant cadre by the National Council on Establishment (NCE); approval of new hazard allowance for health workers.

Other achievements are: “Payment of hazard inducement allowance during the COVID-19 pandemic to health workers; payment of April and May 2018 withheld salaries and other withheld salaries of members across certain Federal Health Institutions (FHI) in the country.

Also achieved are: “Review (peculiar allowance) of 25% increase on consolidated basic; promotion of deserving members from CONHESS 14 to 15 as directors in their various health facilities; the legislative struggle to push for the amendment of Decree 10 of 1985, otherwise known as University Teaching Hospitals (Reconstitution of Boards, etc.) U15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 etc.”

The newly elected members of JOHESU are Comrade (Dr.) Kabiru Minjibir as chairman, Comrade (Dr.) Martin Egbanubi as national secretary, Comrade (Chief) Matthew Owolabi Ajorutu as assistant national secretary, Comrade (Dr.) John Adeola Ali as vice chairman, and Comrade Dare Adebisi as treasurer.