The national leadership of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) has directed its members across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, to prepare for a possible industrial action.
This warning follows concerns that the recently agreed extension of the retirement age may apply exclusively to clinical staff, as proposed by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
The union warned that should the Federal Government fail to ensure the retirement age extension benefits all health workers equally, including non-clinical staff, they will be left with no option but to down tools in protest.
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The National President of the Union who also is serving as the President of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and deputy national President of Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) Dr. Kabiru Minijibir made this known in Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki the Ebonyi state capital, during the 47th Regular meeting of Tertiary Health Institution National Consultative Forum.
Minijibir who expressed dismay over the issue, described the demand of Nigeria Medical Association as due.
He said the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the federal government after years of struggling contained increase from 60 to 65 for health workers and 70 to 75 years for consultative staff.
According to him, “the memorandum of understanding (MOU) was approved by the Federal Executive Council and this was returned to the ministry of health for implementation.
“But unfortunately our professional colleagues decided to truncate the issue which we have been struggling since 2014 by saying that the retirement age should only be for the clinical staff alone forgotten that health care delivery is a team work.
“And in our request we didn’t exclude the clinical staff. And in our request we agreed for the implementation of consultative staff in the federal health institutions and a circular was issued from the office of Head of service of the federation and some Tertiary Health Institutions have started implementing it.
“Now NMA is saying that it should be reversed. I don’t think there is any justice for that. So they have issued 21 days ultimatum to the federal government to that effect
“So we are sending a signal to the federal government through the federal ministry of health that we will not take it lightly if any section of that MOU is altered.
“We have been patient, asking our people to remain calm and this time around we will not hesitate to down our tools.
“This is because signed agreement is agreement by both parties. Again, there is no way you will shave someone’s hair in his absence,”he added.
Minijibir however insisted that decision for the proposing industry action would be reached in it emergency enlarged executive meeting expected to come soonest.
“We signed the MOU not NMA, So very soon we are going to call emergency national expanded executive meeting of JOHESU and we will resolve and issue ultimatum in as much as the federal government decides to alter that MOU
“And whether the strike would be indefinite would all be decided in the meeting,” he noted.
The theme of this year’s session “The way forward for Nigeria’s Healthcare System, Challenges and Opportunities -Tertiary Health Focus” was delivered by Prof. Oguguo Egwu, the Ebonyi state chairman of NLC.