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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Health & Science

Health workers warn of fresh strike over unresolved salary adjustment

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Health workers are threatening a new strike due to the government's failure to implement salary adjustments for the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
  • The issue stems from a 2016 provision where CONMESS (for doctors) has been reviewed three times, while CONHESS has not been adjusted.
  • Unions signed a Memorandum of Understanding last year for implementation by April 2026, but it remains unresolved, prompting renewed agitation.

Health workers in Nigeria are warning of a potential fresh strike over the government's persistent failure to implement long-awaited salary adjustments for the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS). The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) stated that this unresolved issue has been a major concern for over a decade.

When the two salary structures were released in 2016, there was a clause that once one salary structure is reviewed upward, it automatically attracts a review of the other one.

— Kabiru MinjibirThe National Chairman of JOHESU explaining the origin of the salary disparity.

The core of the dispute lies in a clause from the 2016 salary structure introductions. While the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), intended for medical doctors, has been reviewed upward three times, the corresponding CONHESS adjustment for other health professionals has been neglected. This disparity has fueled the workers' agitation for the past ten years.

Unfortunately, three reviews were done to CONMESS, which is for medical doctors, while other health workers were neglected.

— Kabiru MinjibirHighlighting the unequal treatment in salary reviews.

JOHESU previously embarked on an 84-day strike last year over the matter, leading to negotiations and a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government. An agreement was reached for the salary adjustment to be implemented by the end of April 2026. However, the union reports that the issue remains unaddressed, leading to widespread discontent among health workers who are now demanding another ultimatum be issued to the government.

This has been the source of agitation over the last 10 years, and the issue remains unresolved up to this moment.

— Kabiru MinjibirDescribing the long-standing nature of the dispute.

Kabiru Minjibir, the National Chairman of JOHESU, urged the Federal Government to expedite the negotiation process and ensure the timely implementation of the salary adjustment for all health workers, emphasizing the need for justice and fairness. The union is currently consulting widely before making a final decision on industrial action.

It may interest you to know that up to this moment, that issue has not been addressed.

— Kabiru MinjibirExpressing disappointment that the agreed-upon implementation has not occurred.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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