The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives – Federal Health Institutions Sector – has fixed today (Saturday) to take a decision following promises made by the Federal Government.
Bellnews reports that the federal government had prematurely announced that nurses have ended their industrial action after a meeting on Friday but this was swiftly denied by the union.
The nurses had embarked on the strike on Wednesday to push for their demands, including an upward review of shift allowance, adjustment of uniform allowance, a separate salary structure for nurses, an increase in core duty allowance, mass recruitment of nurses, and the establishment of a nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health, among others.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Friday, the National Public Relations Officer of NANNM-FHI, Omomo Tibiebi, clarified that the strike remained in effect despite a meeting with the minister earlier in the day.
Tibiebi said, “The strike has not been suspended. Earlier today (Friday), the NANNM executives had a meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, and it was the minister that went to press to say the strike was called-off.
“He wasn’t the one that called the strike in the first place, so he has no right to call off the strike. So, the strike is still on.”
He added that the union’s National Executive Council would meet today (Saturday) to review the Federal Government’s promises and determine the next line of action.
“There will be a National Executive Council meeting today (Saturday), and that’s when a decision will be made, and we would know if what the Federal Government has promised is good enough for us to suspend the strike,” he stated.