BREAKING: JOHESU Declares Indefinite Strike Over ‘No Work, No Pay’ Policy
ABUJA — The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has directed its members across all federal health institutions to withdraw their services indefinitely, escalating the ongoing industrial action in the health sector.
Naija News House gathered on Saturday that the decision followed a fresh directive from the Federal Ministry of Health mandating the enforcement of a “No Work, No Pay” policy against striking health workers.
In a statement circulated to members, a JOHESU leader, Comrade Abubakar Sani Aminu, condemned the policy, describing it as a unilateral decision taken without consultation with the union. He said the move undermines workers’ rights and violates the principles of collective bargaining.
According to the statement, Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of federal health institutions have been instructed to implement the policy, a development JOHESU views as an attempt to weaken the union amid the ongoing strike.
“This decision was made without prior consultation or dialogue with the union, showing a disregard for the collective voice of health workers,” Aminu said.
He urged members to remain calm but resolute, warning that the directive was aimed at breaking the unity of the union. Aminu described the policy as “the final weapon” being deployed by the government to force health workers back to work without addressing their grievances.
As a result, JOHESU directed all its members to stay away from their duty posts with immediate effect, expressly ruling out the provision of skeleton services or any form of compromise.
“There should be no skeleton services, no attempt to help out, or compromise in any way,” the statement read. “Our collective action is the key to securing our rights.”
The union’s leadership stressed that unity among members was critical, warning that allowing the policy to stand would set what it described as a dangerous precedent for future labour struggles in the health sector.
“This is the time for us to stand together, strong and united, until our demands are met,” Aminu added, noting that solidarity would ultimately determine the outcome of the dispute.
JOHESU reaffirmed its commitment to what it described as a fight for fair treatment of health workers and called on members nationwide to remain steadfast and supportive of one another as negotiations with the federal government continue.
As of the time of filing this report, the Federal Ministry of Health had yet to issue an official response to the union’s directive. The impact of the work stoppage on public health services remains unclear, though previous JOHESU strikes have significantly disrupted operations in federal hospitals across the country.
