By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest over the Federal Government’s silence on their demands.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workers staged the protest after an emergency Congress held by the Union.
NAN reports that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had directed the stoppage of salaries of members of JOHESU following commencement of an indefinite strike on Nov. 14, 2025,
Health workers across federal health facilities in Nigeria belong to JOHESU.
Mr Oyelowo Olufemi, the Chairman of JOHESU-UITH told NAN that the Federal Government was insensitive to the plight of members of JOHESU.
Olufemi said that the government signed a MoU with the union in 2009 with a commitment made in the two salary structures of Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) to implement due adjustment and recognition.
He explained that the government adjusted the CONMESS for the physicians thrice; 2014, 2017 and 2018, while refusing to do the same for JOHESU members in CONHESS.
“That is the backbone of the strike actions, we are demanding that the government adjust CONHESS also.
“We are appealing to the Federal Government to wade in and see what is going on in the Ministry of Health. They should do what is right for the health sector,” the union leader said.
Also speaking, Mr Saka Abdullahi, the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes, and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRAI) alleged intimidation of members from the management of UITH.
He explained that the management was using the circular from a Communique issued by the Federal Ministry of Health to tell the Union that they don’t have the right to picket or stop members from coming to work.
Abdullahi insist that the management was using intimidation on members and the “No work, No Pay” policy directed by the Federal Ministry of Health to force their members to work.
“No work, no pay is not something that is very strange or new to us, but to use force to compel members to work is what we are kicking against.
“The Federal Government is not responding to the yearning of JOHESU for the past 12 years.
“This is the 13th years of agitation, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) requested for nine demands and almost everything is met.
“While our own flagship demands is just CONHESS adjustment, which is unmet,” Abdullahi lamented.
The union leader said that the salary earned by its members was hardly sufficient, due to the removal of subsidy and the exorbitant amount for transportation.
Responding to allegation of intimidation by management of UITH, the Acting Head, Corporate Affairs Unit of UITH, Mr Abiodun Fagbemi, debunked this.
He said that the management of UITH was well aware that the ongoing strike actions by JOHESU was not a local one, but national..
“There is nobody that is forced to appear at the hospital to work,” Fagbemi said.
NAN reports that the members of the Union carried placards with the inscriptions; ” No Compliance, No Compromise”.
Others are: “Health Sector Can’t Work Without JOHESU”, and “Federal Government Should Stop Discrimination in Health Sector”, among others. (NAN)