Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) has threatened to resume the strike it suspended a few months ago.
The workers said they observed that the Federal Government has not shown interest in fulfilling its promises that made them to call off the strike.
MHWUN President, Biobelemoye Josiah, who addressed the 45th session of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union, in Abuja, on Wednesday, advised Federal Government to urgently meet its demands to avoid total shut down of Nigeria’s medical system.
He said, “The inability of the government to meet our demands especially the payment of skipping arrears will no longer be tolerated by our members.
“We have to prepared ourselves for another round of industrial action. We would no longer take that deceitful story of ‘there is no money’ in the system.
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“We appeal to Nigerians to show understanding and support when we finally shut down the hospitals in few weeks from now.
“It’s unfortunate that Federal Ministry of Health made plans for skipping arrears of medical doctors and disregarded our own.
“Worst was that after paying the skipping arrears to the medical doctors which they were not supposed to benefit, they went to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and suggested that skipping be abrogated.
“Even when the Income and Wages Commission advised that medical doctors are not entitled to skipping arrears, the Federal Ministry of Health that claimed there was no money went ahead to pay the doctors skipping arrears.
He, therefore, advised his members to be prepared to take their destiny in their hands as very soon, they would be called upon to commence another round of indefinite strike.
Meanwhile, President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, advised the health workers to unite against any force that is against their common interest.
He condemned the idea of privatising the health sector by some Nigerians, describing the idea as anti-masses.