Strike: As Sanwo-olu grants Lagos nurses’ demands, other health workers issue fresh ultimatum
A few days after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu acceded the requests of the Lagos council of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), which led to the suspension of its three-day warning strike, another category of health professionals in the state has threatened to down tools over unmet demands by the government.
The workers, under the umbrella of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), have issued an ultimatum, accusing the government of persistent inequity in the health sector.
Ultimatum
The health workers recently issued a 21-day ultimatum, threatening to down tools from midnight of January 3, 2022, should the government fail to meet their demands.
The union in a statement signed by the assistant state secretary, Sode Adegbenro, noted that its state executive council, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, resolved at a meeting held on January 6, 2022, to issue the ultimatum due to the observed unresponsiveness of the state government to “lingering issues.”
The statement highlighted 13 of the issues in the ultimatum, which include the non clinical call duty allowances and commencement of their full payments; non-Implementation of what it described as the full Consolidated Health Salary Scale (CONHESS), improved welfare and working conditions, and payment of hazard allowance for all members.
“The SEC hereby urged all to fully embrace this as a collective struggle and warned against sabotage of any manner to the union directives,” it added.
NUAHP is made up of professionals across clinical sections such as pharmacists, physiotherapists, laboratory scientists, radiographers/imaging scientists, dental technologists and other related professionals.
“We are on it”
In a brief telephone interview on Saturday, the public relations officer of the state’s ministry of health, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, confirmed the government has received the ultimatum and that appropriate offices and officials are working on how to resolve the issues.
On the ultimatum, he emphasised that the government is addressing it.
“Something is on already, we are working on it,” Mr Ogunbanwo said.
NANNM Strike
On January 10, 2022, the Lagos State council of NANNM announced the suspension of its industrial action, following a two-hour meeting between Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the leadership of the nurses’ union at the state house.
A statement by the chief press secretary to the governor, Gboyega Akosile, confirmed the approval of the striking workers’ requests by the governor.
According to Mr Akosile, most of the requests by the nurses that could be approved immediately were granted by the governor, “and those requiring further deliberations have also been approved for further discussion.”
