From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
As the strike action embarked upon by the National Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU and Assembly of Health Care Professionals enters the second month, Kaduna State chapter of the union has joined the strike, saying the federal government should be held responsible for any adverse effect the strike would have on the health of Nigerians.
The State Chairman of the Union, Comrade Cecilia Musa who disclosed this at a press briefing yesterday in Kaduna, said the strike was due to government’s refusal to fully implement the agreement freely reached with the Union and refusal to implement the judgment of National Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN delivered on July 22, 2013.
Comrade Cecilia further warned the federal government to realize that its recent strategies to impose a master-servant relationship in the health sector is beginning to generate ripple effects at the detriment of national development, adding that no single profession is more important than the other.
She added that that the Union demands immediate release of circular on adjustment of CONHESS salary since January, 2014 and immediate payment of at least two months arrears while the remaining is paid after being accommodated in the 2015 budget;
“We call on the government to immediately release the circular on extension of retirement age to be back dated to February, 2014, when the issue was presented to the National Council on Establishment; Immediate and full payment of arrears of salaries of CONHESS 10 skipping outstanding since the year 2010.
“Payment of arrears of specialist allowance to qualified hospital based professionals, with effect from January 1, 2010, in line with the NICN ruling; addressing the lopsidedness in the membership of Boards of Management of Tertiary institutions among other demands”
The Union noted that it is evidently clear that its inclination to dialogue is not respected by government which constantly still intimidate and negate agreements.
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