- Health workers that are currently on strike have been told by the minister of health, Professor Isaac Adewole, to resume work with immediate effect
- The minister warned that failure to resume work would be considered as absconding from duty
- He said that everyone who participated in the strike would not be paid for the period of the strike even if they call off the strike
The striking health workers have been told by the minister of health, Professor Isaac Adewole, to resume work immediately or be considered to have absconded from duty.
The directive was given to chief medical officers of all federal government-owned hospitals on Monday, May 29, Vanguard reports.
NAIJ.com notes that Adewole warned that anyone who failed to resume would be considered to have absconded from duty without leave, an act considered a serious misconduct in line with public service rule 030413.
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According to the minister, everyone who participated in the strike would not be paid for the period of the strike even if the strike was called off.
He said: “We want you to go back and restore services in your various institutions immediately. The clinics must run, theatres must be opened. There is no reason why they should lock your theatres. No one has the right to lock up government hospitals."
In his reaction to the minister's comment, national chairman, Assembly of Healthcare Professional Unions, Dr. Godswill Okara, said: “I am aware of the minister’s directives. We may be forced to resume duties latest by next Monday but that does not guarantee that every worker will put his heart to work and express maximum commitment to meeting the needs of the health-seeking public.
“So, the best solution to the logjam is not threat or coercion but discussions, negotiations and reconciliations. However, we hope for amicable resolution of the dispute.”
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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Isaac Adewole, the minister of health has declared that the nation would soon get out of the ongoing strike by the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), adding that the federal government was making necessary moves to end the strike.
Adewole said this in Osogbo, capital of Osun state on the sideline of the Children's Day celebration at the Osogbo city stadium.
He said: "We are handling the JOHESU strike and i can assure you that will be over soon. The nation will soon get over it."
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Source: Naija.ng