The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to address and resolve pending industrial concerns affecting its members.
The President of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria and Chairman of JOHESU, Dr Kabiru Minjibir, made the call in Geneva, Switzerland, saying it was necessary to avert the resumption of industrial action recently suspended by health workers.
He warned of a possible fresh industrial action over what he described as the Federal Government’s failure to implement the long-awaited adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
Dr Minjibir was speaking in an interview with the media on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC) taking place in Geneva.
He said the unresolved salary adjustment had remained a major concern for health workers for more than a decade, despite several engagements with the government.
According to him, the issue stems from a provision contained in the salary structures introduced for medical doctors and other health professionals in 2016.
“When the two salary structures were released in 2016, there was a clause that once one salary structure is reviewed upward, it automatically attracts a review of the other one,” he said.
He noted that while the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for medical doctors had been reviewed three times, the corresponding adjustment for health workers under CONHESS had yet to be implemented.
“Unfortunately, three reviews were done for CONMESS, which is for medical doctors, while other health workers were neglected. This has been the source of agitation over the last 10 years, and the issue remains unresolved up to this moment,” he said.
The union leader recalled that JOHESU embarked on an industrial action last year over the matter and subsequently entered into negotiations with the federal government.
“When we gave an ultimatum to the Federal Government last year, there was an 84-day strike action that affected federal health institutions across the country. Following that action, we were invited to a meeting by the Minister of Labour and Employment alongside relevant ministries and agencies, including the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission,” he said.
Minjibir said a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, with an agreement that the salary adjustment would be implemented on or before the end of April 2026.
“It may interest you to know that up to this moment, the issue has not been addressed. There is already agitation among health workers across the country that another ultimatum should be issued to the government,” the president stated.
However, he said the union is still consulting widely before taking any decision on industrial action.
“I want to use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government, particularly the Minister of Labour and Employment and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, to ensure the timely conclusion of this negotiation. The same adjustment should be extended to other health workers in the interest of justice and fairness,” he said.
Minjibir warned that failure to improve workers’ remuneration could negatively affect productivity in the health sector.
“If health workers’ remuneration is not improved, the government should not expect productivity.
“We hope the government will address the issue before it gets to the point of another ultimatum or industrial action, because patients are always at the receiving end whenever health workers go on strike.”
Responding to claims that non-medical health workers only seek benefits secured by doctors, Minjibir dismissed the assertion as inaccurate.
“This is not true because there is job specification in the health sector, and every professional should be remunerated based on his or her responsibilities. We are not competing with anybody. Doctors are our partners in the provision of healthcare services in the country,” he said.
He stressed that healthcare delivery is a collective responsibility requiring collaboration among all professionals.
“Health service is teamwork. Nobody can do his or her work alone. Our agitation is not based on what others have achieved but on the principle of justice and fairness for all health workers,” he said.
