Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Health has told health workers who are currently on strike that their demand for the same pay as doctors is unrealistic and unacceptable.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said this in a statement signed by the Assistant Director of Information, Olajide Oshundun, on Sunday while responding to an advertorial published by the Joint Health Sector Union.
He said efforts were being made to meet JOHESU’s demand for salary increase but health workers should not expect to be paid the same as doctors.
The statement read in part, “Indeed, the Federal Government has put machinery in place to ensure that the strike is called off by meeting with JOHESU officials on several occasions, the last being on Wednesday April 25, 2018, at the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment in Abuja.
“An offer has been made to adjust the salaries and wages of JOHESU members by the Federal Government. But what JOHESU is asking for is parity with medical doctors, which is neither practicable nor acceptable to the Federal Government.”
Adewole said in September 2017, JOHESU presented a 15-point demand to the Federal Government of which 14 had already been implemented while the last demand was being attended to by the high-level body set up by the government to look into its implementation.
He, therefore, called on JOHESU to suspend its strike for the sake of Nigerians.
The statement added, “The Federal Government wishes to appeal to JOHESU to immediately call off the strike and allow the high-level body to conclude its assignment as contained in the 2017 agreement.
“The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will not renege on any agreement entered into with any labour organisation, including JOHESU.”
Adewole also argued that there was no agreement between the Federal Government and JOHESU prior to the administration of President Buhari.
He said what JOHESU brandished as 2014 agreement were minutes of meetings they had with the organs of the Federal Government.
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