Deborah Akinyosoye
The Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare has urged the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) to call off the ongoing strike and allow negotiations to continue in the interest of the health sector and the Nigerian public.
It denied allegations by the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) insinuating that the Ministry had deliberately refused to implement the report of the Technical Committee on the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) submitted in 2021.
NigeriaTodayTimes earlier reported on Friday that the TUC and NLC had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Ministry of Health and all relevant authorities, effective from 23 January 2026, to implement without further delay the 2021 Technical Committee report on the adjustment of CONHESS, in line with established precedents in the health sector.
The unions warned that they would no longer tolerate empty promises, bureaucratic sabotage, or the continued marginalisation of health workers whose labour sustains the nation, adding that failure to comply within 14 days would compel organised labour to mobilise all Nigerian workers across both public and private sectors nationwide for a total and coordinated industrial action.
In a statement jointly issued by the Secretary General of TUC, Comrade NA Toro, and the Acting General Secretary of NLC, Comrade Benson Upah, the unions condemned the persistent and deliberate refusal of the Federal Ministry of Health and relevant government agencies to implement the report of the Technical Committee on the adjustment of CONHESS, chaired by the Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, and submitted since 2021.
They noted that this continued delay is no longer an administrative lapse but a conscious act of injustice, bad faith, and institutional disrespect to health workers and organised labour. They vowed that if the government failed to implement the demand within the next 14 days, there would be mass protests, picketing of health institutions and government offices, and a nationwide withdrawal of services until the issue is decisively addressed.
Reacting to the statement on Saturday in Abuja, the Ministry said that contrary to these claims, the Federal Government has, since the commencement of the industrial action, held several conciliatory meetings with JOHESU, both at the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, aimed at resolving the dispute amicably.
The statement, signed by the Director, Information & Public Relations in the Ministry, Alaba Balogun, observed that these meetings were held despite JOHESU approaching the National Industrial Court of Nigeria to intervene in the dispute. He added that a high-level conciliatory meeting convened on Thursday, 15 January 2026, formed part of sustained efforts by the Federal Government to de-escalate tensions and arrive at a mutually acceptable resolution.
He explained that the demand by JOHESU for CONHESS adjustment has been longstanding for over a decade, with previous federal governments unable to resolve it. He added that JOHESU members are beneficiaries of the recent increase in professional allowances for health workers, amounting to about 58 billion naira in arrears from July 2024 and about 40 billion annually.
Balogun stated that the Ministry reached a tentative understanding with JOHESU on a framework for resolving the lingering trade dispute at the meeting held on 15 January 2026. At the meeting, JOHESU presented proposals including the implementation of the 2021 report of the Technical Sub-Committee of the High-Level Body (HLB) chaired by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), which recommended an adjustment of CONHESS.
He noted that the unions also called for the immediate withdrawal of the “No Work, No Pay” circular, insisting that it should not apply to their members, in line with the position earlier canvassed by the TUC, among other demands.
Balogun explained that in response to JOHESU’s demands, the Ministry appealed to the unions to maintain the status quo to enable the NSIWC to conclude an ongoing job evaluation exercise aimed at determining the appropriate placement of all health professionals in line with the Ministry’s approach to promoting collective bargaining and evidence-based decision-making.
He stated that in reaching the decision to maintain the status quo pending the completion of the job evaluation, the Ministry took into cognisance the conflicting positions of unions and associations in the sector based on MOUs and agreements signed with the Federal Government in the past.
According to him, the job evaluation exercise, which commenced in November 2025, is expected to last six months and will pave the way for discussions on salary adjustments as well as the reconvening of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The statement reads: “The attention of the Federal Government has been drawn to a joint statement issued by the TUC and NLC concerning the ongoing trade dispute between the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare and JOHESU. This is further to JOHESU’s earlier ultimatum demanding an adjustment of CONHESS in the same manner as was implemented for the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), which culminated in the ongoing strike action by JOHESU, commencing on 14 November 2025. The labour centres further alleged that the Ministry deliberately refused to implement the report of the Technical Committee on the adjustment of CONHESS submitted in 2021, claiming that the delay amounts to institutional disrespect to health workers and organised labour and consequently issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government through the Ministry.”
“The Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare reiterates and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to sustaining industrial harmony within Nigeria’s health sector.
There is absolutely no truth in the allegations of deliberate refusal to implement the Technical Committee’s report, nor is there any discrimination against any category of health workers.”
On the issue of “No Work, No Pay”, Balogun noted that the Ministry’s position is that if JOHESU calls off the strike in good faith, the matter would be handled administratively in its entirety.
He emphasised that to further demonstrate its commitment to industrial harmony, the Ministry affirmed its willingness to accommodate the NLC and TUC in subsequent engagements and raised no objection to their continued participation in the dialogue process.
Balogun observed that since the meeting of 15 January 2026, the Ministry held two other meetings on 20 and 22 January 2026 to conclude issues agreed at the 15 January meeting, with a view to JOHESU calling off the ongoing strike.
“Against this backdrop, the Ministry notes that when these sustained engagements are contextualised against the ultimatum issued by the NLC and TUC, there is a clear mismatch. The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, remains resolutely committed to achieving sustainable industrial peace in the health sector. “The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare assures that the Federal Government of Nigeria remains steadfast in its commitment to finding an enduring and sustainable resolution to the dispute in the overall interest of the nation, guided by dialogue, fairness, and mutual respect. Recognising the critical role of healthcare workers in national development and public welfare, the current Federal Government is determined to resolve the issues in a manner that safeguards uninterrupted healthcare delivery, promotes team spirit and equity across professional cadres, and reinforces industrial harmony for the long-term good of the country,” he added.