You would recall that the Joint health sector unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of healthcare professional Associations (AHPA) issued a 15 day ultimatum to the federal government to address all pending issues affecting its members or face industrial action.

 

However, a meeting was initiated a day before the expiration of the ultimatum by the honourable minister of state, labour and employment on wednesday 17th february 2016 where the following were in attendance: 

 

1. Honourable minister of state: federal ministr of labour and employment

2. Honourable minister of state, federal ministry of health

3. Executive chairman, national salaries, income and wages commission.

4. Permanent secretary; office of head of civil service of the federation

5. Permanent secretary; federal ministry of health

6. Representative of secretary to the government of the federation.

7. Representative of director, state security services.

8. Representative of director general, budget office

9. Director, industrial relations and trade union services; federal ministry of labour and employment

10. president and general secretaries of the various unions under the aegis of JOHESU

11. Representatives of AHPA

 

At the meeting, JOHESU requested that issues that border on finance and implementation of court judgment should be addressed and reflected in the budget within 72 hours, while others are resolved within 7 days.

 

The demands of JOHESU in the letter of ultimatum were noted by the meeting. After due consideration of the demands and the elongation of the deadline by 72hrs for the resumption of industrial action granted to the federal government by the trade unioins under the aegis of JOHESU, the honourable ministers of labour and employment and health respectively observed that the demands were protracted issues in dispute previously handled by the preceding administration.

 

The honourable minister of labour and employment appealed to the leadership of JOHESU to extend the ultimatum for 30 days to study the antecedents of the issues in order for the present administration to constructively address the issues with a view to meeting the demands.

 

After further consideration, the trade unions rejected the time lag of 30 days as requested b governemtn and settled for 21days for the extension of the ultimatum ending 10th march 2016.

 

Conclusively, JOHESU being a matured, law abiding and compassionate conglomerate of the five registered trade unions in the health sector has once again demonstrated to the public and the entire nigerians that they are not strike mongers and they are also sensitive to the prevailing situation in the country and want to give the present administration the benefit of the doubts to fulfil her promise within the stipulated time

 

To this end therefore, we want to appeal to our members to have trust in the leadership of JOHESU that the decisions taken in honour and respect for the new administration and also in the best interest of our teeming members and the nation at large despite our sufferings.

 

However, members are hereby put on RED ALERT for ACTION if the federal government reneges on her promises;

 

We seize this opportunity to APPEAL to the GENERAL PUBLIC whose interest we have considered to give the extension of the ultimatum to impress it on the government to keep her PROMISES

 

SOLIDARITY FOREVER

ALUTA CONTINUA

VICTORIA ASCERTA

 

Com. Biobelemoy Joy Josiah National Chairman, JOHESU

Com. (Mrs) Florence Ekpebor National Secretary, JOHESU