This comes on the heels of the strike by doctors across Nigeria under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

JOHESU and AHPA had suspended their planned industrial action billed to commence yesterday, over unmet demands following an understanding it had with the government. But rising from an emergency meeting of the expanded National Executive Council, NEC, the Unions, yesterday. gave the government another 15 days to accelerate the process and fulfil their demands.

In a communiqué signed by the Acting National General Secretary, JOHESU, Comrade Mathew Ajorutu, on behalf of the group, the NEC-in-Session unanimously adopted a resolution to step down the notice of strike due to expire last night and issue a fresh notice of 15 days.

They further critically appraised the reports of JOHESU negotiation and conciliation meetings with the Federal Government since the declaration of the trade dispute through the 15-day strike notice issued on September 2.

Noting the appeal from President Muhammadu Buhari on the need to show understanding with his administration and his pledge to pay any debt owed health workers, the unions insisted that the Federal Ministry of Health should ensure speedy circularisation of all establishment and welfare matters as agreed during negotiation meetings.

The communique said. “The Federal Government should ensure that the new data for the computation of the adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure, CONHESS, for JOHESU members are completed and submitted to the “High-Level Body” (HLB) of the FG not later than Wednesday, 22nd September 2021 as agreed. NEC-in-Session urges the Federal Government to ensure that the “High-Level Body” (HLB) complete and submit the computation of the adjusted CONHESS for inclusion in the 2022 budget within the 30th September 2021 submission window.  NEC-in-Session urges the Federal Government to reciprocate the patriotic humanitarian gesture of JOHESU in the interest of the larger Nigerian masses to expeditiously resolve all the demands within the fifteen days window”.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, gave the directive during an interview with newsmen in Abuja, NAN reports.

According to him, it was necessary for the organisations to withdraw the strikes notices because their action isn’t allowed in the International Labour Organisation Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiation.

“JOHESU gave 15-day ultimatum with effect from June 28. NARD gave 28-day ultimatum from when the day they had their National Executive Council.

”Those things are arm twisting and I told them that they must withdraw them because the issues they are bringing in here are extraneous issues.

”They have nothing to do with this discussion on fixing a new hazard allowance for health professionals and workers,” he said.

The minister, however, said the Federal Government would take the final decision on the new hazard allowance for health workers.

The action took effect at 12 a.m on Monday, September 14.

JOHESU President Josiah Biobelemoye, who confirmed the strike to newsmen, said the health workers had given the Federal government a 14-day notice of the impending strike but they failed to meet their demands.

He said “The 15-day ultimatum still subsists, and with effect from midnight of Sept. 13, 2020, our members shall withdraw their services due to the government’s inability to meet their demands,”

However, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has described the strike by the health workers as illegal and ill-timed. In a statement released by its Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations, Charles Akpan, the Ministry directed JOHESU to shelve the planned strike, saying going ahead with it would be illegal.

The statement titled, ‘FG declares JOHESU strike is unnecessary, ill-timed and illegal’, partly read: “Parties in disputes are expected not to arm-twist, intimidate or foist helplessness on the other party while negotiations are ongoing as per sections 8 and 18 the of Trade Dispute Act 2004 barring any strike when the matters are before a conciliator and undergoing conciliation. Any strike now is inimical to an equable settlement of the dispute, bearing in mind, especially, that this is a grace period of a pandemic where the Federal Government has spent about N20 billion to pay April/May 2020 and an additional N8.9b for June 2020 on COVID-19 hazard and inducement allowances, respectively, to all categories of health workers that are mainly JOHESU members.”

The Health Workers also urged the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, to take over the negotiations between them and government from the substantive Minister Senator Chris Ngige.

They accused Senator Ngige who incidentally is a medical doctor of compromise.

The National Chairman of JOHESU, Comrade Bio Joy Josiah disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.

He said that the commitment of the union to resolve issues through dialogue has been taken for granted.

Josiah said the government looks at the health workers as people who cannot bear hunger, adding that the union from September 13 would test its ability whether hunger would kill its members or not.