The Rivers State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Comrade Udoka Josiah, has commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for what he described as a bold and progressive step, particularly the approval of the upward review of the retirement age of clinical health workers in the state to 65 years.
Dr. Josiah disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent, noting that the governor’s decision reflects uncommon and transformational leadership, especially as the policy was implemented without agitation or pressure from organised labour.
According to him, the move underscores the governor’s deep understanding of the critical role of healthcare delivery in the wellbeing of Rivers people. He urged health practitioners, particularly members of the Association of Community Health Workers, to reciprocate the gesture by remaining committed to quality and efficient service delivery.
The TUC chairman also applauded Governor Fubara for the ongoing renovation of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, describing it as a timely intervention aimed at providing a more conducive working environment for civil servants. He called on workers to safeguard government facilities while the renovation works are ongoing.
Josiah further expressed concern over the prevailing political tension and insecurity in parts of the state, warning that development cannot thrive in an atmosphere of crisis. He appealed to political leaders, elders, and other stakeholders to work collectively to restore peace and stability in Rivers State.
“As civil servants, we are usually the first to feel the impact of any crisis. When there is instability, salaries are threatened and governance is disrupted,” he said.
He also criticised what he described as persistent internal crises within labour unions in the state, cautioning against external interference and the politicisation of labour leadership. According to him, the labour movement must remain the voice of workers and the masses, not a platform for personal or sectional interests.
Dr. Josiah accused a faction of the TUC leadership in the state, led by Samuel Ogan, of contributing to the crisis rocking the union and looting properties belonging to the TUC Secretariat. He described the situation as a crisis-broken TUC, alleging that individuals parading themselves as union leaders lacked legitimacy and were undermining the integrity of the labour movement.
He further alleged that investigations had been conducted into the disappearance of union properties, including office equipment and household items, and that reports had been compiled with names of those allegedly involved. According to him, some of the items were traced to private residences.
Josiah said letters had been written to relevant security agencies, including the police and the Department of State Services (DSS), calling for intervention, adding that the union would take appropriate action at the right time to protect public service institutions.
He maintained that issues affecting the TUC are predominantly public service–related and questioned the involvement of individuals from the private sector in the leadership of the union. He insisted that public sector workers should be allowed to manage their affairs without external imposition.
Calling on all parties to reflect on integrity and accountability, Josiah urged workers and stakeholders to disregard narratives he described as misleading and to support efforts aimed at restoring order, unity, and credibility within the Rivers State labour movement.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria (ACHPN), Rivers State chapter, Dr. Justina Onuwa, also commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for approving the extension of the retirement age of community health practitioners to 65 years.
Dr. Onuwa said the approval followed engagements between the association and the Rivers State Government in November 2025, describing the decision as a major boost to the healthcare sector.
She called on the state government to recruit at least 1,000 community health practitioners to strengthen healthcare delivery, particularly in rural communities, with a view to further reducing infant and maternal mortality in the state.
The ACHPN chairperson also noted a high level of compliance by mothers with routine immunisation services across health centres in the state. According to her, cases of polio are now rarely recorded in Rivers State, a development she attributed to sustained immunisation efforts and improved primary healthcare services.
