Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The Tertiary Health Institutions National Consultative Forum (THINCF) has threatened to mobilise in support of other striking members of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) for street rallies to draw attention to alleged injustice against health workers as being perpetrated by the Federal Ministry of Health.
This is coming just as an Abuja National Industrial Court ordered the striking health workers to end the one month strike and return to work with immediate effect.
But THINCF threatened that unless the adjusted CONHESS table and other demands put forward by JOHESU are approved, released and implemented with arrears paid, the ongoing strike will neither be suspended nor called off.
National Secretary of THINCF, Comrade Davidson Akilaiya, who made this known, revealed that their recent meeting at Kano appreciated the national leadership of JOHESU for their doggedness and focus in the struggle.
He also presented a copy of the six-paragraph communiqué issued at the end of the THINCF 42nd regular meetings held at the secretariat of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Kano State chapter, where decision on the mass rally was taken recently.
The communiqué signed by the national chairman, Comrade Hussain Ahmed and the national secretary, Comrade Davidson Akilaiya, called for the immediate sack of the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, over his alleged overbearing stance in the ongoing strike embarked upon by members of JOHESU, accusing the Health Minister of allegedly displaying impunity, corrupt tendencies and abuse of office.
The communiqué posited that the minister’s sack will act as deterrent to others tarnishing the image of the the present administration.
They averred that the deliberate divisive actions by the Federal Ministry of Health has led to the poor state of Nigeria health sector with attendant consequences.
THINCF also decried the use of security agents by Chef Medical Directors and Medical Directors to harass JOHESU members that are on strike, adding that the action is condemnable, barbaric and inhuman and will not be tolerated.
In the same vain, the meeting expressed dismay over the antagonistic, provocative and self-serving tendencies of members of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and MDCAN towards JOHESU members, contending that their legitimate demands from their employers should not be their business as they are not competent to speak for the government.