Nigerian officials meet striking health workers

The Federal Government on Monday went
into a closed-door meeting with
representatives of Joint Health Staff Union
(JOHESU) to resolve issues that led to the
ongoing strike in federal hospitals.
Members of the union had embarked on
an indefinite industrial action on Thursday
Aug. 22.
The meeting is being attending by the
Minister of Labour and Productivity,
Emeka Wogu; Minister of Health,
Onyebuchi Chukwu; and Head of Civil
Service of the Federation, Bukar Aji,
Others were representatives of Nigeria
Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union
Congress (TUC) and JOHESU.
Shortly before the meeting, Mr. Wogu told
the media that he was optimistic that the
meeting would end the strike which
started on Thursday.
He said the ministry would not fail in its
reconciliatory and mediatory efforts
aimed at ensuring that issues that led to
the strike were resolved amicably.
“I hope that the strike would be called off
at the end of the meeting,” he said.
On his part, Mr. Chukwu said the ministry
was ready to dialogue with the union to
end the strike in the interest of all
Nigerians, particularly patients.
“The whole issue is that we need to work
in the interest of patients,” he said.
Mr. Aji also called on the parties to sheath
their sword and embrace dialogue.
“We do know that the era of table banging
is over. It is better we use our brains to
solve challenges like this.
“The good thing is that all the parties are
around and it is not a time for making of
speeches but a time to address critical
issues,” he said.
But Moshood Akinade, the Secretary-
General of Senior Staff Association of
Universities, Teaching Hospital, Research
Institutes and Associated Institutions
(SSAUTHRAI), said JOHESU was ready to
call off the strike provided their demands
were met.
He said the union embarked on the strike
to push home the need for government to
meet 10 issues it had presented for the
past 10 years.
“It is true we started the strike in the
midnight of August 21. The strike was
embarked upon, based on 10 issues that
have been lingering for the past 10
years,” he said.
He commended Mr. Wogu for his effort at
ensuring that the difference was resolved.
JOHESU, which is the coalition of the
health workers’ unions, called out its
members on an indefinite strike effective
from 12 midnight of August 21, following
the inability of the Federal Government to
resolve the lingering issues between it
and the health workers.
The union had on July 22 issued a 21-day
ultimatum to the Federal Government to
implement the recent ruling by the
National Industrial Court (NIC) on the
2009 agreement between the union and
government.