NMA Threatens Strike If FG Accedes To Health Workers’ Demands

The federal government has been pushed
to a tight corner as medical doctors, against
whom other health workers’ ongoing
industrial action is indirectly targeted, have
threatened to embark on their own strike
should the government accede to the demands of the Joint Health Sectors’
Unions (JOHESU). JOHESU and the Nigeria Labour Congress
(NLC) had said the refusal of the Minister of
Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, to abide
by the ruling of the National Industrial Court
(NIC) over some of the issues in contention
was responsible for the strike. JOHESU is demanding, among other things,
having consultants among their non-
medical staff members, the payment of
specialist, call duty/shift and other
professional allowances as enjoyed by
doctors. In a swift response to the indirect assault,
however, the Nigeria Medical Association
(NMA), in a statement yesterday, said while
it had nothing against the right of “any
group or individual” to determine how best
to achieve its objectives, the doctors would down tools if government succumbed to
blackmail and intimidation. The statement signed by Dr. Osahon
Enabulele and Dr Akpufuoma Pemu,
President and Secretary-General
respectively, said: “We affirm that no group
or union has monopoly over the use of
strike actions in seeking the actualisation of its objectives. “Therefore, the NMA shall not hesitate to
use similar means if government fails to
uphold the rule of law and succumbs to
blackmail and intimidation.” In a meeting summoned by the Minister of
Labour and Productivity; Chief Emeka Wogu,
on behalf of the federal government
yesterday, to seek a quick resolution to end
the strike, the Secretary General of the
Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and
Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRAI), Mr.
Moshood Akinade, speaking for JOHESU,
said since his assumption of office, Chukwu
had pursued only the interest of the NMA to
the detriment of other health professionals. He gave instances of the minister’s actions
and policies which were clearly in favour of
the NMA, events which played a big role in
last week’s declaration of an indefinite
strike by the union.