Nurses dismiss as propaganda, Health Minister’s announcement, insist “he wasn’t the one who called the strike in the first place, so he has no right to call off the strike”
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
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“The strike has not been suspended. Earlier today (Friday), the NANNM executives had a meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, and it was the Minister that went to press to say the strike was called off.
“He (the Minister) wasn’t the one who called the strike in the first place, so he has no right to call off the strike. So, the strike is still on,” Tibiebi insisted.
“There will be a National Executive Council meeting by tomorrow (Saturday), and that’s when a decision will be made, and we will know if what the Federal Government has promised is good enough for us to suspend the strike” – NANNM
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Nurses and midwives have dismissed as usual Abuja propaganda and falsehood, the announcement on Friday by Health Minister Ali Pate that they had suspended the seven-day strike begun two days earlier, without Abuja putting concrete and confirmed relief on the table.
They said they will begin to consider from today the offer the government has laid before them.
The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives – Federal Health Institutions Sector (NANNM-FHI) confirmed that Pate on Friday met with representatives of the union to discuss their grievances, which include:
- Upward review of shift and uniform allowances
- Creation of a distinct salary structure for nurses
- Review of core duty allowances
- Mass recruitment of nurses
- Creation of Department of Nursing Services in the Federal Ministry of Health
At the end of the meeting, Pate told reporters that the association agreed to suspend the industrial action on the strength of their discussion, but NANNM National President Rilwan Morakinyo later contradicted him.
“The strike is on, the association leadership shall be meeting to review offers before taking a decision,” Morakinyo said.
NANNM National Public Relations Officer Omomo Tibiebi clarified that the National Executive Council (NEC) would meet today to assess the government’s response before deciding on the next steps.
“The strike has not been suspended. Earlier today (Friday), the NANNM executives had a meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, and it was the Minister that went to press to say the strike was called off.
“He (the Minister) wasn’t the one who called the strike in the first place, so he has no right to call off the strike. So, the strike is still on,” Tibiebi insisted.
“There will be a National Executive Council meeting by tomorrow (Saturday), and that’s when a decision will be made, and we will know if what the Federal Government has promised is good enough for us to suspend the strike.”
The strike began on Wednesday and has paralysed historically fragile healthcare delivery in public hospitals nationwide, with poor patients groaning under the impact.
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