The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), under the Federal Health Institutions (FHI) sector, has firmly denied widespread reports suggesting that it has called off its ongoing nationwide warning strike. The union made this clarification following media statements attributing the suspension of the strike to the Minister of Health.
In an exclusive interview with Punch, the National Public Relations Officer of NANNM-FHI, Omomo Tibiebi, reaffirmed that the industrial action, which commenced on Wednesday, July 30, is still very much in progress. He stressed that the strike has not been suspended, contrary to the minister’s public statement.
“The strike has not been suspended,” Tibiebi stated. “Earlier today, the national executives of our union met with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate. Following that meeting, it was the minister who addressed the press and announced that the strike had been called off. However, that information is misleading.”
He further emphasized, “The minister is not the one who declared the strike in the first place; therefore, he has no authority to unilaterally declare its suspension. The decision to end the strike can only be made by the union’s leadership, not by government officials.”
Tibiebi also disclosed that the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) is scheduled to meet on Saturday, where members will deliberate on the commitments made by the Federal Government during the recent meeting. The outcome of that session will determine whether or not the strike should be suspended.
“There will be a NEC meeting by tomorrow (Saturday), and during that session, we will critically assess the government’s promises. Only if those commitments meet our expectations and demands will we consider suspending the strike,” he explained.
The nurses embarked on the seven-day warning strike to push for the fulfillment of several longstanding demands. Among the union’s key grievances are:
A significant upward review of the current shift allowance,
Adjustment of the uniform allowance to reflect present realities,
The creation of an independent and dedicated salary structure for nurses,
A substantial increase in the core duty allowance,
Massive recruitment of professional nurses across federal institutions,
And the establishment of a dedicated Department of Nursing Services within the Federal Ministry of Health.
The union maintains that until meaningful progress is made on these demands, the warning strike will continue unabated.