The Nation Newspaper

Tag: JOHESU

  • JOHESU: NMA demands involvement in FG, NIC dispute resolution

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on the Federal Government and the National Industrial Court (NIC) to involve it in the on-going Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) with JOHESU.

    The National Publicity Secretary of the association, Dr Obitade Obimakinde, made the appeal in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja.

    The association described ADR as a welcome means of resolving crisis in the health sector.

    It added that no holistic, meaningful and long-lasting resolution could be made without the input of all the team members, especially the NMA.

    “We note with pleasure the suspension of the strike action by the allied health professionals under the auspices of JOHESU after six weeks.

    Read Also:JOHESU: Lawmaker lauds union for strike suspension

    “The suspension of the strike is a welcome development especially after taking into consideration the deleterious effects of the lingering strike action on innocent Nigerians.

    “Nigerians were deprived of the full benefits of medical management in our public hospitals,’’ NMA said.

    It reiterated the wish of medical doctors that the health sector operated as a team with the doctors as the leaders to the utmost benefit of the patients.

    The statement said that NMA was unapologetically committed to a good and harmonious relationship among the team members.

    “The NMA will continue to engage the leadership of JOHESU/AHPA to birth a common front for healthcare delivery services in Nigeria,’’ it said.

    The association congratulated the federal government, officials of the Federal Ministries of Health and Labour as well as well-meaning Nigerians for their intervention in restoring normal services in the health sector.

  • JOHESU members in NAFDAC resume work

    Members of the Joint Health Sector Union ( JOHESU ) on Monday resumed work at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ), after the six-week old strike.

    The News men correspondent who visited the headquarters of the agency in Abuja reports that the workers were seen in various offices attending to official duties.

    Some of them told News men that they resumed on Friday immediately after the strike was suspended by the union, while others said that they resumed on Monday, June 4.

    The news men recall that JOHESU declared an indefinite strike on April 17 to press home their demands.
    Members of the union who are nurses, medical laboratory scientists, pharmacists, record officers, physiotherapists and others participated in the industrial action.

    Read Also: Drug Abuse: NAFDAC begins awareness

    Mr Izi Isua, the Vice Chairman of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), NAFDAC chapter, told the news men that all his members had resumed work in compliance with the directive by JOHESU.

    Isua explained that workers of NAFDAC complied totally with the six-week old strike.

    “I have to commend our members in NAFDAC for their solidarity, loyalty and commitment to the strike, it was 100 per cent compliance,” he said.

    He disclosed that the union used the opportunity of the industrial action to meet with the management of NAFDAC to resolve some internal issues, aside those of JOHESU.

    He said the management had pledged to address the issues as soon as possible.

    NAN

  • JOHESU suspends six weeks’ strike

    THE members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have suspended their six weeks’ nationwide strike.

    The suspension was with effect from yesterday.

    The health workers had proceeded on a nationwide job boycott on the midnight of April 17, following alleged Federal Government’s inability to honour agreements between both parties.

    While the strike action lasted, government hospitals were only operating skeletal services with serious emergency cases being attended to.

    However, following the intervention of Senate President Bukola Saraki, the leadership of the unions met yesterday, where it was agreed to suspend the strike.

    At the end of the union’s National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, JOHESU National Chairman Josiah Biobelemoye said the suspension is to pave way for further negotiations to continue on Monday.

    Biobelemoye, who briefed reporters with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President, Ayuba Wabbara, and other leaders, expressed dismay over alleged insincerity exhibited at the negotiation table by the Federal Government’s negotiating team.

    In his view, this led to the breakdown of further negotiations and unnecessarily prolonged the strike.

    He stressed that the strike was not politically motivated, but in a bid to save the health sector from imminent collapse

    According to him, the suspension of the strike was not as a result of the court injunction but for the sympathy for the people.

    On his part, Wabara assured the unions of the support of the NLC and stressed that it has justified case.

    He noted that there were interventions by people in high places.

    Wabara hoped that there would be fairness and justice going forward between the government and unions.

     

     

  • JOHESU suspend six week old strike, ask members to resume

    Health workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has suspended their six weeks old strike and order its members to return to work immediately to pave way for arbitration in their dispute by the National Industrial Court.
    In a communique at the end of their emergency meeting signed by the National Chairman, Biobelemoye Joy Josiah, JOHESU said it was suspending the strike in respect for the National Industrial Court and in sympathy with the suffering masses.
    The communique said after the failure of the Federal Government negotiation team to resolve this impasse, an NGO seek and got an ex-parte Court order directing JOHESU to suspend the strike within 24 hours and report back to work.
    He said further that though its legal team challenged the ex-parte motion at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) and subsequently filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal with a view to quashing the order and taking it away from National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) to the Court of Appeal for adjudication, the court decided to takes over the Negotiations between JOHESU and Government in its Alternative Dispute resolution (ADR) centre.
    He said further that the court also ruled that “JOHESU and Government side are to nominate their representatives in the ADR process within 24 hours of the NICN judgment.  The Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Labour shall nominate officers that have authority to negotiate on its behalf i.e the Honourable Minister of Health and Honourable Minister of Labour shall not be part of the committee.
    “The agreement reached at the ADR centre will be registered in the court as judgment binding on both parties. JOHESU is to initiate the process of allowing normalcy to return to hospitals within 3 days. Both parties were ordered to maintain status-quo ante bellum while negotiation lasts”
    “The various gains from the meetings with His Excellency, the Senate President were presented to the NEC of JOHESU, after an exhaustive deliberations and discussions, the NEC in session approved that the six (6) weeks old strike be suspended this day Thursday, 31st May, 2018 because of the sympathy the Unions have for the suffering Nigerian masses and also to pave way for further negotiations to continue on Monday 4th June, 2018.
    “Nigerians and consumers of healthcare services will recall that the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) embarked on a nationwide strike action on midnight of 17th April, 2018 owing to the failure of Federal Government through the Ministry of Health to honour agreements wilfully signed with the unions on 30th September, 2017, after due notice of sixty six (66) cumulative days.
    “Following series of meetings (8) with the Federal Government team under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMoL&E) and Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) other agencies of Government such as Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Federal Ministry of Finance (FMoF) National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Department of State Security Services (DSS), and others.
    “We note with dismay the insincerity and unseriousness exhibited at the negotiation table by the Government negotiating team which led to the breakdown of further negotiations and unnecessarily prolonged the strike action.
    “It is on record that it was during the period of late Barr. James Ocholi (SAN) who was the chairman of the committee set up by Federal Ministry of Labour that JOHESU demands was sincerely and passionately looked into with a view to permanently resolving it amicably but the expectation was short lived due to the cold hands of death.  We salute his spirit and dedication to service of his father land.”
    JOHESU commended the intervention of Alh. Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Executive Governor of Kano State and his spirited efforts in intervening for the peaceful resolution of the crisis that has bedevilled the Nigeria health sector.
    They also commend the governments of Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Delta and Edo states for their proactiveness in addressing the labour concerns of our members in their domain and we implore other states to emulate the aforementioned states.
    The communique said JOHESU was not unmindful of the various threats letters and circulars emanating from the Federal Ministry of Health and Managements of hospitals across the country.  We however, urge our members to remain peaceful and law abiding in the face of intimidation and report any form of harassment to the National leadership.

  • Breaking: JOHESU suspends six weeks strike action

    The striking health workers have suspended the six weeks nationwide strike action.

    The suspension is with effect from Thursday, 31st May, 2018.

    The health workers under the umbrella body of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) had proceeded on a nationwide strike action on midnight of 17th April, 2018 following the Federal Government inability to honour agreements between both parties. While the strike action lasted government hospitals were only operating skeletal services, as only serious emergency cases were attended to.

    However, following the intervention of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, the leadership of the unions met Thursday where it was agreed to suspend the strike.

    Read Also:Strike: Court orders FG, JOHESU back to negotiation table

    Announcing the suspension of the strike action at the end of the National Executive Council meeting of the unions held in Abuja, Com. Josiah Biobelemoye, National Chairman, JOHESU said the suspension is to pave way for further negotiations to continue on Monday 4th June 2018.

    Biobelemoye who briefed the media in the present of the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Dr. Ayuba Wabbara and other leaders of the unions expressed dismay and the insincerity and unseriousness exhibited at the negotiation table by the Government negotiating team which led to the breakdown of further negotiations and unnecessarily prolonged the strike action.

    He stressed that JOHESU strike actions is neither ill nor politically motivated but in a bid to save the health sector from imminent collapse

    He therefore said that the suspension of the strike action was not as a result of the court injunction but for the sympathy for the people.

    He said, “Due to the intervention of His Excellency, the Senate President, Senator (Dr.) Abubakar Bukola Saraki who through his love for the suffering masses displayed high level of statesmanship and sincerity of purpose by putting some machineries in place with a view to permanently resolving the issues in contention. JOHESU having considered his intervention after holding just two meetings with leadership, where serious progress were made.

    “The various gains from the meetings with His Excellency, the Senate President were presented to the NEC of JOHESU, after an exhaustive deliberations and discussions, the NEC in session approved that the six (6) weeks old strike be suspended this day Thursday, 31st May, 2018 because of the sympathy the Unions have for the suffering Nigerian masses and also to pave way for further negotiations to continue on Monday 4th June, 2018.”

    He also added, “We would like to place on record that JOHESU strike actions is neither ill nor politically motivated but in a bid to save the health sector from imminent collapse.”

    On his part, Wabara assured the unions of the support of the NLC, stressing that it has justified case.

    He noted that there were interventions by people in high places.

    He hoped that there will be fairness and justice going forward between the government and unions.

  • JOHESU insists on strike

    The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) on Monday said it would continue its ongoing nationwide strike until the Federal Government implement certain agreements reached between the two parties on Sept. 30, 2017.

    JOHESU disclosed this at a peaceful rally organised by its national body in Abuja, saying it would not be deterred by the court’s injunction compelling its members to return to work.

    Mr Josiah Biobelemoye, National Chairman of the union said the rally was aimed at updating members with current developments regarding the ongoing strike, including the recent court order.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Industrial Court (NIC) gave an order on May 25, 2018 compelling JOHESU to call off the strike, which began on April 18.

    Biobelemoye emphasised that the union had every right to obey or challenge the court order.

    “I own members the responsibility to update them on happenings between us and the government to enable them take decisive position. And whatever they decide is final.

    “We call on the government to implement our upward adjustment and other things as contained in the agreement of Sept. 30, 2017.

    “No going back on the strike until those things are met’’ he said.

    He noted that since the union embarked on strike on April 18, the federal government had met with the leadership eight times.

    He however, described the meetings as one step forward and two steps backward.

    He mentioned that the amount of money owed the union is N22.6billion and added that due to the intervention of the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission it had been reduced to N16.5 billion.

    He said JOHESU’s agreement on the reduction of the entitlement from N22.6 billion to N16. 5 billion was geared toward ensuring lasting solutions to the crisis.

    “I urge you to stand up for your right, do not yield to pressure or threat in whatever form by the government.

    “Hence, we are not going back to work until they pay us our full entitlement,” he reiterated.

  • Activists call on JOHESU to obey court order

    A GROUP, Activists United Against Graft and Anti-People Policies (AUGAPOL), has called on members of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) to obey the court injunction to call off their strike.

    JOHESU embarked on an indefinite strike since April 17, which has entered its seventh week.

    Speaking in Lagos, National Coordinator, AUGAPOL, Mark Adebayo, said the Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court had ordered the striking members of JOHESU to immediately resume duties at their various health institutions across Nigeria.

    According to Adebayo, if JOHESU refused to obey the court ruling, there would be anarchy.

    Adebayo reasoned that when the strike is over and resolutions are agreed on the issues, lives lost during the ongoing strike won’t be able to be regained.

    He added: “JOHESU must go a little further to consider the consequences of its decision or pronouncement on the larger society. Who are members of the larger society I am referring to? These are innocent members of the society, who are the worst hit of the ongoing

  • JOHESU appeals court order, insists on strike

    The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) is appealing an order of interim injunction from the National Industrial Court (NIC), compelling it to immediately resume duties.

    Addressing an emergency news conference on behalf of the national body of JOHESU in Abuja yesterday, Dr Godwin Okara, the Chairman Assembly of Healthcare Professionals Association (AHPA), said the matter is now at the Court of Appeal.

    Okara said JOHESU had filed Court Processes before the Court of Appeal on May 21, challenging the locus standi of the Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International, an NGO, and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.

    He said the union only received the NIC order at 5.39 pm on Friday (May 25).

    “An Order of Interim Injunction compelling JOHESU to immediately resume duties was just served on JOHESU at 5.39 p.m. on Friday May 25.

    “We have the greatest respect and regard for the Judiciary of our country Nigeria.

    “It has always proved to be the bulwark of our democracy, the last hope of the common man and the flagship of the vanguard for law and order in human society,” he said.

    Okara described the suit as a calculated attempt by the Federal Ministry of Health and the NGO to demonise JOHESU through sustained misinformation and falsehood.

    The JOHESU official explained that the briefing was aimed at updating the media and the general public on the latest developments affecting the industrial action.

    He explained that the union decided to seek legal redress when it noticed that there was an intention by the parties to tarnish the image of its members on the mass media when they have not received any court order.

    “JOHESU had before the receipt of this Court Order filed Court Processes in the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal on May 21, 2018, challenging the locus standi of the NGO and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.

    “The move is a follow up to the calculated attempt to demonise JOHESU through sustained misinformation and falsehood by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International, an NGO, which is neither our employer nor a party to the agreement JOHESU signed with Government.

    “The NGO has constituted itself into a meddlesome interloper,” Okara said.

    He also expressed concern over the persistent attempts by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to misinform the public through malicious fabrication of accusation and blatant lies that JOHESU members had locked up theatres, consulting rooms, laboratories and wards.

    Okara dismissed insinuations by the NMA that their members were intimidated by JOHESU officials and hospital authorities lack the power to keep the gates and doors of our health facilities open.

    “It beats my imagination that NMA will go to any ridiculous length in giving bad names to a dog in order to hang it,” he said.

    According to him, JOHESU members have conducted themselves with the highest degree of restraint and discipline in the face of provocation and double-dealing by the Federal Ministry of Health and NMA.

    The AHPA chairman commended the leadership of the Senate for their recent intervention aimed at ensuring full and amicable resolution of the crisis.

    Okara also appreciated all men and women of good conscience that have lent their voices of reason to JOHESU’s struggle for improved healthcare facilities in the country, justice, fairness and equity in the health sector.

     

  • JOHESU strike: Patients complain of intimidation at FMC Makurdi

    Patients at the Federal Medical Centre ( FMC ), Makurdi, have complained of alleged intimidation by members and officials of striking Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) in Benue.

    It was gathered that there was commotion and panic around the main entrance of the hospital following attempts by the union to enforce total compliance to their protracted strike.

    The report said that patients, some health workers and passersby were caught in the commotion, which lasted for about half an hour before it was calmed.

    According to the report, attempts by JOHESU officials to stop their members from reporting to work caused the commotion.
    The commotion led to traffic build-up, thereby obstructing free flow of traffic along the Atiku Abubakar Road directly in front of the hospital.

    Some union officials were heard issuing verbal threats of physical assault to members bent on reporting to work just as some of the patients and relatives said they were also prevented from entering the hospital.

    One of the officials (name withheld) was heard threatening a member “If you enter here I will beat you; try now let’s see” at the entrance.

    Read Also: JOHESU strike paralyses activities at LASUTH

    One of the patients, Mrs Rose Audu, said she was shocked at the commotion at the hospital gate, and described it as “embarrassing”.
    Audu admitted that she was harassed by the officials who thought she was a health worker.

    She, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to quickly resolve the contending issues to allow the health workers resume work.

    Addressing journalists at the scene, the state Chairman, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Mr Dennis Nyam, said they would continue with the strike until their demands were met.

    He explained that the union leadership was on a monitoring exercise in all the hospitals to enforce compliance and was determined to ensure 100 per cent compliance.

    Also speaking on the development, the Head of Clinical Services, FMC, Dr Paulinus Abu, said the management was working with the police to ensure maintenance of law and order.

    He regretted that despite all entreaties, the JOHESU members in the state had remained adamant and were recalcitrant on going ahead with the strike.

    He said owing to the location of the hospital, the strike needed to be handled with utmost maturity to prevent miscreants taking advantage of it to wreck havoc on the community.

    Police officers were sighted thereafter, within the vicinity of the hospital to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

  • JOHESU directs members to relax strike in three states

    The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) has called on its members in Lagos, Kano and Yobe to tactically relax the ongoing strike to accommodate emergency services in those states as a measure of goodwill.

    Explaining the reasons for this, National Chairman, JOHESU, Comrade Joy Josiah Biobelemoye and National Secretary, JOHESU, Comrade Florence Ekpebor said the states met its various clamours, and terms of a settlement in agreements with the government. These include Yobe and Lagos State which have now adjusted the CONHESS Scale as demanded.

    JOHESU specially commended the Lagos State Government for approving the consultancy cadre for pharmacists in its employment. Just like the Niger State Government did with pharmacists since 2012.

    Stating this in a statement to The Nation, Comrades Biobelemoye and Ekpebor said JOHESU also expressed gratitude to the Kano State government for ensuring good welfare package for its healthcare workforce in addition to the intervention of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to ameliorate the on-going strike action.

    For these reasons, “We urge our members in Lagos, Yobe and Kano to tactically relax the strike to accommodate emergency services in those states as a measure of goodwill,” stated Comrades Biobelemoye and Ekpebor.

    JOHESU noted that its demands are legal and both government and society should not be misled because the crux of JOHESU clamour has always been the restoration of the relativity in the CONHESS and CONMESS scale which was deliberately distorted with active Government Collaboration in 2014. “We remain steadfast that in alignment with democratic norms and the rule of law this desire remains very legitimate,” noted Comrades Biobelemoye and Ekpebor.

    Comrades Biobelemoye and Ekpebor appealed to President Mohammadu Buhari to immediately remove Professor Isaac Adewole from office, as they explained that his continued stay remains a major barrier to the resolution of the on-going nationwide strike of health workers. “This is a major threat to Public Health especially at a time that the dreaded Ebola disease is currently rampaging in some African Countries,” they noted.

    They appealed that the Federal Government must energise the deadlocked negotiations between the JOHESU and Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment with genuine conciliators who have national interest. Specifically, a befitting budget to offset the already compromised three options presented by JOHESU to the Federal Government on May 16, this year, must be made available through interventions facilitated by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; and the immediate implementation of the terms of settlement of the September 30, 2017 agreement.

    “As bonafide citizens, we, however, reject a slave mentality which present salary wages confer on us. It is pertinent to call on the Federal Government to be wary of the 5th columnist in this administration, as such persons move on to join new administration once they truncate existing or incumbent administrations like we are currently witnessing,” noted Comrades Biobelemoye and Ekpebor.

    Giving reasons for their stand on health minister’s removal, the duo explained that Prof. Isaac Adewole is on record to have insisted that the wage structure in the health sector must reckon with what was obtainable in the 1991 late Prof. Olukoye Ransome – Kuti’s dual salary system (MSS and HSS) which marked the beginning of persistent acrimony until it was corrected through the Harmonised Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (HATISS) and HAPSS in 2003.

    They added that the duo of the Ministers of Labour and Health who are both members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has taken a position that parity must entail a basic salary differential in the emolument of health professionals and their doctor colleagues.