•Protesting health workers
The Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) has urged the federal government to immediately pay outstanding salary arrears, warning that failure to do so could trigger a nationwide strike that may paralyse the health sector.
In a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held Tuesday in Jos, Plateau state, the union expressed deep frustration over the prolonged delay in implementing the adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), which has been pending for years despite repeated promises.
In a statement, jointly signed by NUAHP President Kamal Ibrahim and General Secretary Martin Egbanubi, the union criticised the government for failing to match the salary review granted to medical doctors under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) with a similar adjustment for other health professionals.
“Since 2014, the government has adjusted salaries for medical practitioners but failed to replicate the same for other healthcare workers, thereby violating the collective bargaining agreement that established parity between CONMESS and CONHESS,” the union stated.
The union reminded the government of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on October 29, 2024, which led to the suspension of an earlier nationwide strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU). However, they lamented that the government has not fulfilled its commitments under the agreement.
“NEC-in-Session warns about the implications of resuming the suspended strike action on the health sector and the nation in general if the Federal Government fails to urgently address this matter, which is a dispute of right,” the communiqué stated.
They also called on President Bola Tinubu to fulfil the assurance he gave JOHESU leaders during a meeting at Aso Rock on June 5, 2023, by directing relevant ministries, departments, and agencies, particularly the Presidential Committee on Salaries, to urgently resolve the matter to ensure lasting industrial peace.
NUAHP further demanded the immediate payment of seven months’ salary arrears, covering June to December 2023.
They noted that these payments were already captured in the 2024 budget and the proposed 2025 budget, yet remain unpaid.
“NEC described as unacceptable the delay in payment, which it considered a breach of the October 2024 MoU and the resolution reached on December 20, 2024,” the statement added. “NEC therefore demands the payment of these arrears without further delay to avert industrial action.”
The union also raised concerns about the rising cost of living and the worsening welfare of healthcare workers, which they said is contributing to a wave of emigration among professionals in the sector.
To stem the tide, NUAHP urged the government to introduce incentives such as tax relief on clinical duties, including call duty, shift duty, and teaching allowances, and to implement a retention allowance to encourage health professionals to remain in the country.
“These measures are necessary to cushion the harsh economic conditions and reduce the ongoing brain drain in the healthcare sector,” the statement concluded.
