The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, said the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), had suspended its planned strike scheduled to begin January 15th, over the non-implementation of an agreement reached between the Government and the JOHESU.

 

In a communiqué issued in Abuja yesterday, the Minister said after a meeting held between the government and the union leaders, on 7th to 8th of January, a Memorandum of Understanding has been reached which led the Union to suspend its planned action. “Government will surely look into the issues the union is calling for. However, an agreement has been reached, therefore, the union has agreed to suspend the strike”, he said and appealed to the health workers to always dialogue with government rather than going on strike.

 

The General-Secretary of the union, Mr. Yusuf Badmus said the Union planned to go on the strike as a result of government failure to implement some of agreements reached between the Union and the government at the meeting held on 26th to 27th of August 2013. Badmus said the union wanted the government to obey the court order on the issues of members’ promotions and other matters, adding that the union also opposed the plan by government to appoint Surgeon-General of the Federation.

 

“The Ministry of Health has not issued circulars to boards of hospitals to begin the process of promotion of eligible officers to Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS)”, he said.

 

The general secretary said, “We have given government seven working day’s ultimatum, believing that the agreement will be met”. According to the communiqué, among the issues presented by the Union include, constitution of Boards of Management of various tertiary institutions, increase in retirement age of health workers, implementation of 2008 job evaluation, promotion of officers from CONHESS 14 to 15 and Presidential committee.