Oyo nurses commence indefinite strike over withheld salary arrears, hazard allowance

Members of the Oyo state chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) have commenced an indefinite strike.

Samuel Adeyemi, the chairman of NANNM in Oyo, said on Wednesday that the agitations by the nurses had been on since 2019.

Adeyemi noted that the nurses had refused to go on strike due to the nature of their training and understanding.

He said they had been writing and negotiating with the representatives of the state government without any positive results.

“We recently concluded that the state government is taking our humility and gentility for stupidity. So we have now decided to go on an indefinite strike till our demands are met,” NAN quoted Adeyemi as saying.

He said the association’s demands include urgent mass recruitment of nurses and midwives and correction of the wrong notional date on the promotion letters of members that were due in 2017/2018.

Adeyemi said the association is also demanding the adoption and implementation of lateral conversion and career progression for nurses in the state, as obtained in all other states of the federation.

He added that the association also wanted the payment of withheld 2011 salary arrears to its members, which had been paid to others.

“We also demand the adoption and implementation of hazard allowances for nurses at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, the Primary Health Care Board, the College of Nursing and Midwifery, the College of Health Technology, and OYSHIA,” he said.

“We want the financial implementation of 2018 to 2022 promotion of members at LAUTECH, the payment of a uniform allowance for all nurses in Oyo state, and the adoption and implementation of a 25 percent CONHESS adjustment for the nurses.

“There are circulars and documents in support of all the agitations. The Governor of Oyo State is a passionate and compassionate person with a listening ear; he is absolutely concerned about the welfare and good living of the entire citizens.

“But it is the administrators, those managing, interpreting, and implementing laws and policies to suit their purposes, that are the reason behind our indefinite strike.”