Breaking: Nurses, midwives agreed to suspend strike, Minister says

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Minister of Health, Ali Pate on Friday said members of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) have agreed to call off the nationwide strike they embarked on last Wednesday.

Pate revealed this to journalists after a after a closed-door meeting with representatives of NANNM on Friday.

The Minister said the strike was suspended following agreements reached between the union and the Federal Government.

“The industrial action has been suspended,” he said.

But the leaders of NANNM at the meeting refused to confirm the claim of the Minister to journalists who sought their reaction.

NANNM had declared the warning strike which began on July 29 after expiration of 15-day ultimatum it earlier issued to the Federal Government to meet its demands.

The strike which grounded activities at federal-owned medical healthcare facilities across the country was initially expected to last until August 5.

The demands of the union include upward review of shift allowances, adjustment of uniform allowance, implementation of a dedicated salary structure for nurses, Increased core duty allowance, mass employment of nurses and creation of a nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health.

NANNM National Chairman, Morakinyo Rilwan, had accused the Federal Government of failure to engage in meaningful negotiations with the union when the ultimatum was issued

According to him, the decision to down tools was driven by a groundswell of frustration among members over long-standing neglect.

“As far as we are concerned, there has been no communication from the government. That is why we said the strike would go on,” Rilwan had said.

“Even if the government calls today or tomorrow, it won’t stop the strike. They had enough time,” Rilwan had noted.

The nurses’ demands include the upward review of shift allowance, adjustment of uniform allowance, implementation of a separate salary structure for nurses, increased core duty allowance, mass employment of nurses, and the creation of a dedicated nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health.