Kwara health workers suspend strike

Workers in the state-owned clinics and hospitals downed tools precisely on Jan.1, to press home demand for increased pay.   
The striking health workers include the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Community Health Extension Workers, Laboratory Technicians and Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, among others.
They are demanding increase in Consolidated Health Institutions Salary Scheme (CONHESS) from 50 per cent to 100 per cent as well as provision of infrastructure in health institutions.
Secretary of the state Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Comrade Babatunde Fashakin, said the union decided to suspend the strike, while they continue to dialogue with government. He said the workers considered the interest of the general public and intervention of stakeholders and leaders in the health sector in calling off the strike.
“We are going to re-open negotiations after election,” he said.  Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed commended the health workers for suspending the strike, assuring that their demands would be addressed.
Ahmed, who addressed the workers, said government would improve on the remuneration for health workers and other categories of civil servants in the state.
 “We are in the process of improving our revenue and we will definitely support them in improving on their services, because we believe in giving incentives to civil servants to boost productivity,” he said.