R
Richard Ogunsile
Guest
Nigerian public healthcare professionals affiliated with the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) have given the Federal Government a 15-day deadline to resolve all outstanding issues with the union or face another strike action.
Naija News reports that the strike threat was issued in a joint statement issued by the union’s national chairman and national secretary.
The union pointed out that the Federal Government has failed to meet their requests since June 2021, after the union’s strike was suspended following President Bola Tinubu’s pledge to step in.
The declaration emphasized the union’s requests, including the non-payment of a COVID-19 hazard allowance to members, the request for a tax exemption on healthcare workers’ allowances, and the immediate halt to the plans to create an agency overseeing activities in national health facilities.
The strike by JOHESU lasted from May 19, 2023, to June 6, 2023, a span of two weeks that nearly disrupted healthcare services in public hospitals. The strike ended after Tinubu’s assurance to mediate.
FCT Primary School Teachers Suspend Strike
Meanwhile, the primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), have decided to suspend their strike action.
Naija News reported that the union had instructed Local Education Authority (LEA) primary teachers across the six area councils to initiate a strike on September 18, 2024, due to the non-payment of 60 per cent of the 25 months’ minimum wage arrears, the lack of implementation/payment of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance, and other outstanding benefits.
However, the Chairman of the NUT in the FCT, Comrade Abdullahi Mohammed Shafas, announced the suspension of the strike on Monday.
During a press briefing following an emergency State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) meeting held at the teachers’ house in Gwagwalada today, Shafas noted that the union decided to suspend the strike following the renewed commitment shown by the FCT Minister, Nysome Wike, regarding the payment of the outstanding 60 per cent.
He noted that Wike had instructed the FCT treasury department during a meeting with the union’s leadership to utilize the area council chairmen’s 10 per cent Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to facilitate the payment to the teachers.
Furthermore, the SWEC acknowledged the minister’s consistent and positive engagement in addressing other demands of the teachers, which contributed to the decision to suspend the strike.
The post JOHESU Threatens Fresh Strike, Issues 15-Day Ultimatum To FG To Address Demands appeared first on Naija News.