JOHESU suspends planned strike

The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) have suspended their threat to shut down healthcare services in the country.

Matthew Ajorutu, JOHESU acting general national secretary, made this known in a communique issued on behalf of the association on Tuesday.

The unions had earlier threatened to disrupt normal services in hospitals and other healthcare facilities across the country over the federal government’s inability to meet their demands.

The union had, on September 2, given the federal government a 15-day ultimatum to address its demands.

Following the expiration of the ultimatum on September 17, the union issued another 15-day ultimatum to the federal government.

Ajorutu said the decision was reached at the end of an emergency meeting of the union’s expanded national executive council(NEC) meeting held on Monday, in Abuja.

He said the decision to put the planned strike on hold was taken in the interest of giving the federal government enough time to meet their demands.

“The leadership of JOHESU reasoned that it was necessary to give the Federal Government a conducive environment to present an update on developments with regards to the major demands of JOHESU,” the communique reads.

“This, especially in the area of adjustment of CONHESS as it was done with CONMESS while also showing evidence-based data of the circularisation of the redress of all highlighted service delivery challenges peculiar to members of JOHESU.

“The expanded NEC lauded the Federal Government for the marginal paradigm shift in resolving some of its demands particularly as it relates to the on-going payment of outstanding COVID-19 Special Inducement and Hazard Allowance.

“In a bid to avoid an endless circus show, the leadership of JOHESU needs to make it unambiguously clear that the meeting with the Federal Government on Wednesday, October 6, will be the ultimate litmus test to evaluate the seriousness of the Federal Government to resolve once and for all.

“The tortuous subject matter of adjustment of CONHESS which has lingered since January 2, 2014 (almost 8 years) now and also determine the depth of industrial harmony in the Health Sector.

“Finally, NEC-in-Session unanimously adopts a resolution to put on hold the notice of strike action due to expire mid-night today, October 4, and wait for the outcome of the meeting with Federal Government on October 6, before issuing a fresh notice of fifteen days.”