By Muhammad Amaan
The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has vowed to pursue upward review of retirement age of health workers in Nigeria from 60 to 65 years of age.
Speaking during the inauguration of new executive, chairman of JOHESU, Comrade Kabiru Ado Minjibir, urge government to address the unjust treatment and discrimination of health workers in the country.
Comrade Minjibir who is also the acting president of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) pledged to ensure that his administration would improve upon the legacy and achievements of his predecessors, in taking the union to greater heights.
“This renewed mandate given to me by my union is a clarion call to take JOHESU to the next level of better representation and stronger engagement with other social partners to demand for improved working conditions and ensure equal opportunity and social justice for members of JOHESU affiliates in the health sector.
“Major focus of this new leadership shall include amongst others: intensive struggle for the adjustment of CONHESS, payment of arrears of CONHESS review (peculiar allowance), upward review of retirement age of health workers, continued legislative struggle to amend Decree 10 of 1985, challenge all forms of discriminatory practices and unjust treatment of JOHESU members.”
Speaking earlier, the out gone acting national chairman of JOHESU, Dr Obinna Ogbonna, urged the new leadership to ensure a proper follow up with the federal government and other relevant agencies on pending issues which when addressed, would benefit health workers in the country.
Ogbonna noted that the out gone leadership steered affairs of the union from 2015 to 2023, disclosed that at least ten issues were resolved within the period of their leadership.
He listed the achievements as: “Establishment of more regulatory councils; enhanced call duty allowance, extension of call duty allowance to other health workers on call duties; approval of pharmacist consultant cadre by the National Council on Establishment (NCE), approval of new hazard allowance for health workers.
