BREAKING: JOHESU calls off strike after meeting Tinubu
Health workers’ union under the umbrella of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has suspended its 12-day-old strike after meeting with the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday.
JOHESU National Vice President, Obinna Ogbonna, confirmed the development on Monday evening.
Mr Ogbonna said the strike had been suspended due to the progress made during the engagement with the president who met with them directly.
He said the health workers “called a meeting shortly after meeting with the president and decided to call off the strike and gave a 21-day timeline to the government to make good its promises to look into their demands.”
Meeting with the president today
“We met with Mr President at the villa earlier today, and he pleaded with the striking health workers to give him the benefit of the doubt that he will resolve the matters amicably to our own benefit and positive results,” Mr Ogbonna told said’ in a telephone interview as reported by Premium Times
“The congress considered his plea and also said we should give a 21-day timeline to assess progress and commitment of state actors in resolving the issues,” he added.
THE NIGERIAN HEALTH BLOG earlier on Monday reported how Mr Tinubu urged JOHESU to call off the strike and allow its members to return to work.
Why JOHESU went on strike
The health workers’ union comprising other health workers aside doctors and nurses commenced an indefinite strike on Thursday, 25 May, following the alleged failure of the Nigerian government to meet its demand.
Other demands are “the immediate and unconditional implementation of the pharmacist consultant cadre, unconditional payment of all withheld salaries of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Jos University Teaching Hospital, and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, and outstanding April and May 2018 salaries of members at FMC, Azare.”
The union also called for the speedy implementation of the increase in the retirement age from 60 to 65 years and 70 years for consultants in the health professions.
Source: Premium Times
