The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals Association (AHPA) have announced the suspension of their seven-day warning strike as of midnight on October 31, citing respect for their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government and the public’s best interests.
JOHESU National Chairman, Kabiru Minjibir, made this known in a communiqué co-signed by JOHESU National Secretary Martin Egbanubi on Thursday in Abuja.
The unions had embarked on the strike on October 25 to press for key demands from the federal government. The decision to pause the strike was reached during an emergency hybrid meeting of JOHESU’s expanded National Executive Council (NEC), which included leaders from JOHESU’s affiliate unions, professional associations, and state and branch representatives.
The NEC evaluated the MoU signed on October 29 following discussions between JOHESU representatives and federal officials at the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Based on this assessment, the council resolved to suspend the strike but set a six-week timeline for the government to meet its commitments outlined in the MoU.
The communiqué further indicated that the expanded NEC would reconvene after six weeks to assess the government’s response. If unsatisfactory, JOHESU warned that an indefinite strike would be the next course of action.
The unions’ demands include the immediate implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) adjustments, payment of 25% arrears from the CONHESS review, settlement of nine months’ unpaid salaries for regulatory agency staff, and reinstatement of funding for the Environmental Health Regulatory Council. Additionally, they called for the reconstitution of boards for federal health institutions and an upward review of the retirement age for health workers.
