The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) in Nigeria has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address its outstanding demands or face another strike. The union’s leadership, including the national chairman and national secretary, made the announcement in a joint statement.
JOHESU criticized the government for failing to fulfill its commitments since June 2021, when a previous strike was suspended following President Bola Tinubu’s promise to intervene. The union’s key demands include the payment of COVID-19 hazard allowances for members, tax exemptions on healthcare workers’ allowances, and an immediate halt to plans for establishing a new agency to oversee activities in national health facilities.
The last JOHESU strike lasted from May 19 to June 6, 2023, nearly disrupting healthcare services in public hospitals before it ended with assurances from President Tinubu.
In a related development, primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), have suspended their strike action. This decision follows a strike that began on September 18, 2024, due to unpaid wage arrears and other outstanding benefits.
Comrade Abdullahi Mohammed Shafas, the NUT Chairman in the FCT, announced the suspension after an emergency meeting where the union acknowledged renewed commitments from FCT Minister Nysome Wike. The minister instructed the treasury department to utilize a portion of the area council chairmen’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to facilitate the payment of the outstanding 60 percent wage arrears.
The NUT’s decision to suspend the strike reflects a positive engagement from the minister in addressing the teachers’ demands.
