We will resolve all issues, go back to work, Tinubu appeals to striking health workers
Story from Vivian DANIEL, Abuja
President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has urged striking health union workers to return to work while pledging to resolve their grievances.
“We will resolve all the issues. Please go back to work,” Tinubu told the leadership of the Joint Health Sector Unions during a meeting at the State House, on Monday.
Recall that NEPTUNE PRIME reported that the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) had embarked on an indefinite strike a week ago over demands for immediate payment of omissions and shortfalls in the COVID-19 hazard allowances of affected health workers in federal health institutions, along with the recognition of health workers in non-core hospital facilities in payment of the hazard allowance.
They also demanded speedy implementation of an increase in the retirement age from 60 to 65 years, and 70 years for consultants in the health professions, and improved welfare, amongst other reasons.
Also, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), said it will embark on a nationwide strike on Wednesday following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
The State House Director of Information, Abiodun Oladunjoye, revealed this in a statement he signed on Monday titled ‘President Tinubu restates commitment to reviving health sector.’
Tinubu who stated his administration’s commitment to revive and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s health sector charged on the significance of the sector and its professionals.
He pledged to resolve all identified problems besetting the system for optimum performance while advising the striking union to return to work.
“The health sector is one sector with a commitment to humanity. We will resolve all the problems.
“Trust must be enshrined in all discussions. I promise you we will accelerate this.
“We will resolve all the issues. Please go back to work,” President Tinubu appealed to the union leaders.
While expressing the readiness of the union to get its members back to work, Acting Chairman, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, solicited Tinubu to pay attention to the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria through adequate investment in healthcare infrastructure and better welfare for workers in the sector in order to stop the brain drain.
“Mr. President, now that we have assurance from the top, we are encouraged to go back and talk to our members with a view to going back to work,” said Ogbonna.
Mr. Olumide Akintayo, a member of the executive council of JOHESU, who accompanied the acting chairman to the meeting, also advised the Federal Government to always respond to labour issues and nip them in the bud before they become a full-blown industrial crisis.
