JOHESU Suspends Strike, Members To Resume On Monday

The Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU) has suspended its nationwide strike.

The union suspended its strike on Thursday and directed all members to resume work on Monday, June 4, 2018.

President of JOHESU, Mr Josiah Biobelemonye, while briefing journalist in Abuja, said the strike was called off following the intervention of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki after several meetings with the union and the Federal Government had ended in a deadlock.

Also, a non- governmental organization had earlier gotten a court order from the National Industrial Court in Abuja, compelling the striking health workers to resume, an order that the union has also challenged.

The health workers in April embarked on the industrial action, accusing the Federal Government of failing to honour terms of agreements it reached since 2009, especially the one reached on September 30, 2017, which had a time frame of five weeks.

The lingering strike by the health workers had caused a serious setback in the health sector, forcing patients to use the private hospitals.

Following this development, the Senate President held a meeting on May 28, 2018, with JOHESU and the Minister of Labour, Productivity and Employment, Dr.Chris Ngige and Minister of Health, Professor Issac Adewole.

After the meeting, the Senate President hinted that some progress had been made to bring the strike to an end as reports suggest the Federal Government has made a better offer to the union.

Dr Saraki’s meeting with the striking workers followed the resolution on May 15, 2018, to intervene in the crisis which it observed could hamper Nigeria’s ability to prevent or react to another Ebola virus outbreak in Nigeria.