Business
JOHESU Orders Nationawide Strike Over Agreement Non-implementation
The Joint Health Sector
Union (JOHESU) has declared nationwide strike over the government’s refusal to implement agreement reached with the union.
Speaking to The Tide in Port Harcourt recently, a senior official of the Union and state Chairman Medical Laboratories Association of Nigeria, Comrade Chris Mbata, said the union’s decision to embark on nationwide strike was for the government to implement terms of agreement reached with the union over the state of facilities and conditions within the health sector.
Mbata urged Nigerians to bear with the union’s action as every step taken was to ensure that facilities in the health sector were improved.
He said the union is disturbed that instead of government showing concern and demonstrating commitment towards addressing the challenges in the health sector with the view of restoring public health services to Nigerians, it has resorted to acts of intimidating the union.
The union leader said the JOHESU strike is within the framework of the extant Labour Law, stressing that the threat of “no work, no pay” by the government is totally flawed and holds no water whatsoever to the union’s struggle.
He said the National President of JOHESU, Comrade Ayuba Waba, has directed that all members of the union nationwide suspend all forms of sketelal and concessional services in all healthcare facilities and ensure total compliance with such directive.
Mbata recalled that the union had declared an industrial action on November 12 as a matter of last resort based on the refual of government to fully implement agreements freely entered into by the government and officials of the union.
He said government had also refused to implement judgement of the National Industrial Court delivered on July 22, 2013 and therefore urged members of the union to prepare for a long drawn battle until victory is achieved.
He urged Nigerians to prevail on government to implement pledges and agreements reached with the union in the overall best interest of the health sector and the nation.
However, some stakeholders in the health sector have criticized members of JOHESU for embarking on the strike.
According to Dr. Stephen David, a medical Practitioner said the frequent strike action by the Union is eroding the confidence of Nigerians in the Union’s Leadership.
He spoke to The Tide in his clinic in Port Harcourt on Wednesday and appeal to the union to suspend the strike for the overall best interest of Nigerians and the health sector.
Philip Okparaji