The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations have had discussions with the Federal Government of Nigeria to ensure that the approved sum for the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure was accommodated in the N80bn budget proposal for salary adjustment of the Federal Ministry of Health.
Punch reports that the union made the demand during a meeting of their national leadership with the government team. The meeting was held in Abuja and Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, led the meeting.
In a communique issued after the meeting, the union welcomed the constitution of a seven-man technical team which comprised of two representatives of JOHESU, and one representative each of the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, Budget Office, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Federal Ministry of Health, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System.
They also called on the technical team to fulfil its mandate of coming up with an acceptable sum dedicated to the utilisation of adjustment of CONHESS within a reasonable timeline. They applauded the decision of the meeting to guarantee the participation of all the five trade unions and AHPA at the sessions relating to matters pertaining to adjustment of CONHESS, JOHESU/AHPA. They also emphasised that this would guarantee the laudable spirit of participatory industrial democracy.
In part, the communique read, “JOHESU/AHPA approved the timeline of two weeks in the first instance that was resolved by the committee at the October 6, 2021 meeting as a step in the right direction.
“JOHESU/AHPA mandated the Federal Government team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment/Chief Conciliator of the Federal Government to ensure that whatever sum was approved for adjustment of CONHESS was accommodated in the N80bn budget proposal for salary adjustment of the Federal Ministry of Health or other sources the Federal Government employs in defraying such emergency expenditure, particularly because of the tortuous path JOHEUS/AHPA embarked on in the last eight years of agitating for this adjustment.”