The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) on Friday declared an indefinite, nationwide strike, accusing the Federal Government of failing for 12 years to implement the adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS). The announcement was made in Abuja after the union’s Expanded National Executive Council meeting, where members resolved that all federal health workers should withdraw their services from midnight.
Speaking to journalists, the JOHESU National Chairman, Mr. Kabiru Minjibir, said the decision became unavoidable after years of unsuccessful negotiations. He explained that the union had held several meetings with the government since 2014, yet none yielded meaningful progress, despite signed memoranda, repeated assurances, and conciliation efforts.
Mr. Minjibir said the government’s refusal to act on the High-Level Body report on CONHESS, submitted in 2022, had heightened frustration among health workers, who he said had “consistently embraced dialogue and shown restraint.”
According to him, “This 12-year delay is unacceptable. Health workers have shown maturity and patriotism, but government inaction has made this strike inevitable.”
He added that JOHESU members would remain on strike until the adjusted salary structure is fully implemented, stressing that workers could no longer operate under what he described as a “violated agreement that disadvantages our workforce.”
Mr. Minjibir also announced that JOHESU state councils had been directed to issue a 15-day strike notice to their respective state governments, in line with labour laws. He assured that the national body would provide full backing once state-level actions commence.
While apologising to Nigerians for the disruption, he said the unions had been forced into the decision by prolonged government delays. He also warned against any form of victimisation of workers participating in the strike.
Mr. Minjibir noted that the union remained open to immediate dialogue, saying the strike could be suspended swiftly if the government moved to implement the adjusted CONHESS structure. He urged the Federal Government to prioritise workers’ welfare, adding that timely action in the health sector was vital for service delivery and national stability.
