Regina Otokpa, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has called on the Federal Government to address all pending issues revolving around health workers salaries, especially the two months’ salaries owed the workers from 2018, and conclusion of negotiations on salary adjustment.
President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who made the call at the 2020 Global Day of Action on Care with the theme; ‘Invest in Care Now!’ on Thursday in Abuja, decried the “unfair treatment” health workers have been subjected to over the years, besides the neglect of the sector leading to mass exodus of health workers to other countries.
He urged government at all levels to demonstrate more than keen attention on the health sector, bearing in mind the serious risks health workers face daily exposing themselves, family and friends to diseases and infections due to inadequate and inappropriate safety gears as well as decent pay commensurate with the work they do.
In his words: “I call on the Federal Government to pay the two months salaries owed health workers arising from an industrial dispute in 2018. The recent 7 days warning strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) to resolve the outstanding issues is yet to receive the attention of government and a social dialogue meeting on this matter is yet to be convened.
“We also demand a quick conclusion on negotiations on salary adjustment for JOHESU members in line with alternative dispute resolution processes of National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which all parties involved in the negotiation were subjected to.”
Wabba who advised government to gear up for massive investment in the health sector, noted that the COVID-19 pandemic fully exposed several countries, including Nigeria as not having invested enough in health care institutions, thereby putting everyone, both rich and poor at high risk.
