Abuja, Nigeria – The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals Association (AHPA) have called off their seven-day warning strike, which was initiated on October 25 to demand better working conditions.
The decision was announced in a communiqué released on Thursday in Abuja by JOHESU’s National Chairman, Mr Kabiru Minjibir, and National Secretary, Mr Martin Egbanubi.
The union had organised the strike to press for a range of demands, including the immediate implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) adjustment, payment of 25% CONHESS Review arrears, and nine months’ back pay for employees of regulatory agencies.
Additional demands included reinstating funding for the Environmental Health Regulatory Council, reconstituting Boards and Governing Councils of Federal Health Institutions, and initiating the process to raise the retirement age for health workers.
The suspension decision was reached at an emergency hybrid meeting of JOHESU’s Expanded National Executive Council (NEC), which included Presidents and General Secretaries of JOHESU-affiliated unions, NEC members, and JOHESU State and Branch leaders.
During the meeting, the NEC reviewed updates on negotiations and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Federal Government at a conciliation meeting on October 29 at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The communiqué confirmed the strike suspension would take effect from midnight on October 31, 2024, to give the Federal Government six weeks to fulfil its MoU commitments.
“The NEC-in-session after extensive deliberations resolved the suspension of the seven-day warning strike…in the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding and in the general public interest,” the statement read.
JOHESU cautioned that it would reconvene the NEC at the end of the six-week period to review the Federal Government’s progress in meeting their demands. Should the NEC determine the government has failed to meet its commitments, JOHESU has signalled readiness for an indefinite strike.
The suspension offers a temporary reprieve for Nigeria’s healthcare system, which has faced disruption from the strike. Still, JOHESU’s statement underscores that the union’s stance remains firm on securing improved conditions for healthcare workers.
