Nigerian Association of Nurses and Midwives, Nigerian Association of Laboratory Scientists and the Association of Hospital Administrative Pharmacists, Kaduna State Chapter, has embarked on a five-day warning strike over the non-implementation of the 2009 CONHESS and hazard allowance, resulting in the crippling of hospital activities.
The workers demanded their 2009 CONHESS and 2022 hazard allowance, which government had failed to fulfill for several months.
Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Nurses and Midwives, Kaduna State Chapter, Comrade Ishaku Yakubu, stated that they are demanding their 2009 CONHESS and 2022 hazard allowance which government had failed to fulfill for several months.
He lamented that government keeps making empty promises.
Explaining, Yakubu noted that in 2023, the union wanted to go on strike, but government set up a committee to address the issue. The committee conducted a thorough review of the CONHESS salary structure for doctors and other health workers.
He added that government promised to implement the salary review for all health workers, saying while doctors received their balance of the 2014 CONHESS, nurses are still waiting for their balance of the 2009 CONHESS.
Yakubu noted that they have been asking for their demands and the 2022 hazard allowance. In November 2023, the commissioner for health invited them to calculate the financial implication of the 2022 hazard allowance, which they did and submitted.
According to him, when the commissioner reviewed the bill, government promised to pay them 50 percent in 2023 and the remaining 50 percent in 2024. However, this promise has not been kept.
He added that Governor Uba Sani is a labour-friendly governor and expressed hope that he would address their demands, as they do not want to criticise him harshly.
Yakubu maintained that they would only call off the strike if their demands are met.
Our correspondent gathered that there was strict adherence to the industrial action at Sabo General Hospital in Sabon Tasha, Chikun Local Government Area, Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital and Gwamna Awan General Hospital, Kaduna.
