The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has cautioned that it may resume a nationwide strike if the Federal Government does not implement agreed salary adjustments by April.
The Chairman of JOHESU in Cross River State, Dr Bassey Icha, gave the warning on Tuesday in Calabar while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria.
He explained that the union only suspended its industrial action, which started on November 15, 2025, after the national leadership halted the strike on February 6. According to him, health workers returned to duty after holding congresses across various units and branches.
Icha said the main issue behind the strike was the failure to review the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, introduced in 2009 and not adjusted since. He noted that doctors under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure have benefited from several salary reviews, creating a wide gap in earnings within the health sector.
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He stressed that JOHESU was not asking for equal pay with doctors but was demanding a fair salary review in line with existing government pay structures.
The union leader added that several agreements reached with the Federal Government since 2014 had remained unfulfilled, while a memorandum submitted in 2021 was yet to be considered by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
According to him, JOHESU agreed to suspend the strike after the government requested more time, with expectations that a committee would conclude its work by April.
He warned that if there is no meaningful progress by the end of April, the union would have no option but to embark on another strike.
Icha also revealed that studies have shown that Nigerian health workers earn less than their counterparts in some West African countries, including Ghana. He called on the government to invest more in training, modern equipment, and better working conditions to improve healthcare services across the country.
