• Wages Commission circular withdrawn
• Labour minister, striking union meet today
The government took a proactive step yesterday to prevent frequent strikes by workers and labour unions.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the National Industrial Relations Policy (NIRP), intended to make it unattractive to embark on industrial action.
Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris, who spoke to reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said: “The policy will ensure seamless workflow, promote social dialogue, and enhance tripartite cooperation among government, employers, and workers.”
The Federal Government also withdrew a controversial circular by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission yesterday following backlash from health workers.
It is actively engaging with unions and professional associations to keep hospitals open and nurses on duty.
Today, Labour and Employment Minister Maigari Dingyadi will meet with nurses union officials to address the issues.
A three-day warning strike by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), which is ongoing, crippled healthcare services across multiple states for the second day yesterday.
Both the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have issued an ultimatum for likely downing of tools except some conditions are met by the government.
The government circular on revised allowance schedules excluded nurses and midwives, despite representing 60–70 per cent of the workforce in federal health institutions.
Aside from their exclusion, nurses said key allowances were either minimised or completely omitted, undermining morale at a time when many are already emigrating for better conditions abroad.
The NMA issued a 21 day ultimatum, demanding immediate withdrawal of the circular and issuance of a new one honouring all previous negotiated agreements.
NARD backed the position, warning that the revised structure was disrespectful and tone deaf.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, said the government was “negotiating in good faith” with key stakeholders to resolve outstanding issues.
Pate, who also spoke with reporters after the meeting, said: “We acknowledge that a recent circular from the Accrued Wages Commission, which was based on prior directives, precipitated discontent among various health professional groups. This is a listening government,” he said.
“Now we are in the process of negotiating transparently the increment in allowances so that we meet those health workers’ needs that they have expressed.”
Pate highlighted ongoing talks with NMA and other professional bodies, describing recent engagements as constructive.
The government is also addressing demands from nurses and midwives, he said. Talks continue today.
Pate emphasised that the administration is committed to maintaining the industrial peace the health sector has enjoyed over the past two years.
The minister said: “We call on all health workers to put the Nigerian person at the centre of our attention.
“There are issues we can resolve through negotiation, and we are intent, in good faith, to continue to find ways to resolve those outstanding issues with them over time.
“Because at the end of the day, the health workers are the lifeblood of the healthcare system, and the infrastructure and equipment we are providing have to be complemented by the health workers.”
The minister said FEC had approved an upgrade to the oncology centre at University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
The upgrade will include the installation of advanced diagnostic and treatment equipment, such as a Linear Accelerator for cancer therapy.
“This will enable Nigerians who are suffering from cancer to be catered for,” he said, adding that additional centres in Lagos, Nasarawa, and other parts of the country were in the pipeline.
Referencing the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Pate described it as “perhaps one of the largest hospitals in the West African region, maybe one of the largest on the continent.”
“This week alone, more than 10 major projects were commissioned there — a neurology centre, a stroke centre, a heart centre, an interventional radiology centre, and a revamped oncology centre.
“This country has never witnessed such attention by a president to boost the health system,” he stated.
FEC okays policy on industrial relations
Idris said the policy is aimed at fostering harmonious relations among employers, employees, and trade unions.
He noted that the NIRP provides a comprehensive framework to align Nigeria’s industrial practices with international standards, particularly those of the International Labour Organisation.
“The policy will ensure seamless workflow, promote social dialogue, and enhance tripartite cooperation among government, employers, and workers,” Idris said.
He explained that the approval of the NIRP was informed by the need to address recurring industrial actions over the years, caused largely by the absence of a unified policy governing the country’s labour space.
The new document, he said, establishes industrial relations as a national priority requiring constant attention, institutional coordination, and proactive engagement.
‘Why we’re on strike’
NANNM Kebbi Chapter Chairman, Kilani AbdulWaliyu, referenced the withdrawn circular.
He attributed the strike to the government’s failure to meet long-standing demands, including the gazetting of the nursing scheme of service approved years ago.
He noted that the continued delay in implementing the scheme had caused frustration among nurses and hindered progress in the profession.
He also highlighted the need for the centralisation of internship placements for nursing graduates, similar to practices in other professions.
The chairman said adopting the approach would promote fairness, streamline the process, and ensure equal opportunities for all nursing graduates.
He also highlighted critical manpower shortages, noting that many nurses were leaving the country for better opportunities due to poor remuneration and unfavourable working conditions.
He noted that while the Federal Government withdrew the circular for revision, no concrete action plan had been communicated.
“After withdrawing the circular, what steps have been taken to address the underlying issues?” he asked.
He also decried the absence of a substantive Director of Nursing Services in the Federal Ministry of Health, saying the current structure did not allow for full autonomy or effective coordination. “It’s unimaginable that with more than 20,000 nurses under one person, that individual operates without full authority, under another director.
“How do you ensure unity of command in such a system?” he questioned.
UPTH grounded
Patients and caregivers at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) begged nurses and midwives to suspend their ongoing strike.
They lamented the negative impact of the action on them.
Patients were forced to leave the hospital due to the absence of nurses to attend to them.
A patient said: “I was told to come back on Saturday, but I don’t know if the nurses will be available then”.
A health assistant said: “The nurses did not come to work. As I speak, patients are being discharged.
“We discharged seven patients from my ward yesterday (Wednesday), and two this morning in the Gynaecology ward and up to 15 from the Psychiatric ward, and this is applicable in other units and wards.”
He explained that patients in stable conditions were being discharged, while those with critical conditions were being retained and given skeletal treatment.
Chairman, NANNM, UPTH chapter, Dr. Madonna Wichendu, said the strike was a call for justice, fairness, and urgent reforms in the healthcare sector.
He said the nurses had many demands, including the implementation of the revised consolidated health salary structure, which had been pending despite repeated engagements and assurances from the Federal Government.
Wichendu noted that nurses had been excluded from the upward review of hazard allowance, while other health professionals had had their allowance reviewed upwards since 2021.
Kaduna Ear Centre deserted
The strike brought operations at the National Ear Care Centre, Kaduna, to a near standstill, leaving patients in distress and doctors overwhelmed.
A visit revealed a grim scene: patients battling serious conditions without basic care, as the total withdrawal of nursing services stretches the hospital’s capacity to breaking point.
One of the affected patients, Peace Agadama, battling acute sinusitis and a bacterial infection, described her ordeal in tears.
“I can’t feel anything on the left side of my face. There’s a foul-smelling discharge and constant headaches. But what’s worse is that no one is here to help,” she said.
Peace said her condition has worsened due to the absence of nurses.
“My cannula was changed four times in two days. Both hands are swollen. There’s no one to assist when I need to use the restroom. The doctors are trying, but they’re overwhelmed.”
Head of Nursing Services at the centre, Abbas Daura, confirmed the nurses had completely withdrawn their services, with only a few emergency interventions allowed.
“You can see the situation yourself. Nobody is happy. The patients are the ones suffering,” he said.
House committee advocates dialogue
Also yesterday, the House of Representatives Committee on Labour, Employment, and Productivity appealed to Nigerian nurses and midwives to suspend their ongoing nationwide strike.
In a statement in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the Committee Chairman, Adegboyega Adefarati, described the ongoing industrial action as disruptive to healthcare delivery and detrimental to the country’s ongoing economic recovery.
At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo, the nurses declared that they would not attend to any patient during the ongoing warning strike, regardless of the severity of cases.
Mr Coker Oluwasegun, secretary of the association, who spoke to reporters, said the welfare of the nurses had long been neglected by the government.
Adefarati acknowledged the indispensable roles nurses and midwives play in Nigeria’s health system and emphasised the urgent need for dialogue.
He urged the health professionals to consider the broader national interest, especially at a time when the nation is undergoing a critical economic transformation.
“The House Committee deeply empathises with Nigerian nurses and midwives over their service concerns and acknowledges their vital roles in safeguarding the health and well-being of our citizens.
“At this critical period of our nation’s economic transformation, we must prioritise the collective interests of all Nigerians,” Adefarati said.
He further expressed concern that the industrial action is further burdening an already strained healthcare sector and disrupting essential services across the country.
“The ongoing nationwide strike has significantly disrupted healthcare services across the country, further straining our health sector.
“While we recognise the importance of addressing the legitimate grievances of our health professionals, we urge the leadership of the Nigerian Nurses and Midwives to consider the aggregate interest of all Nigerians,” he said.
