Nigeria health workers give ultimatum to the government for addressing their demands

Health Workers in Nigeria had given the Federal Government an ultimatum on Monday to address all their demands before September 13 or they will proceed on strike, according to a news report by Today.

The doctors said they were demanding payment of the medical residency training to all its members as approved in the revised 2020 budget.

They are also seeking the provision of genuine group life insurance and death in service benefits for all health workers; payment of the outstanding April/May and June COVID-19 inducement allowance to all health workers and determination of the revised hazard allowance for all health workers as agreed in previous meetings with relevant stakeholders.

The Health Workers under the aegis of Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals, JOHESU, also urged the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, to take over the negotiations between them and government from the substantive Minister Senator Chris Ngige.

 They accused Senator Ngige who incidentally is a medical doctor of compromise.

National Chairman of JOHESU, Comrade Bio Joy Josiah, who disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja, said that the commitment of the union to resolve issues through dialogue has been taken for granted.

He said that the government looks at the health workers as people who cannot bear hunger, adding that the union from September 13 would test its ability whether hunger would kill its members or not.