The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) has called on Federal Government to constitute the tripartite committee on National Minimum Wage immediately, since the current minimum wage is due for review in 2024.
National President of NUAHP, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, made the call in his speech to mark 2023 May Day in Abuja on Monday.
According to Ogbonna, the call became imperative to ensure that the process is concluded on time, including its consequential adjustment to avoid unnecessary hiccup usually associated with
implementation of minimum wage.
“For the average workers in Nigeria, a lot has happened between the last May Day and now. Workers in Nigeria have continued to groan under excruciating socio-economic condition.
“This year International Labour Day’s theme: ‘Workers’ Rights and Socio-economic Justice’ is not only apt but a reflection of the plight of Nigerian Workers whose take home pay (slave wage) can no longer take home.
“This has made it expedient for the general review of salary to enhance the economic power of workers. This review must be targeted at cost of living allowances like housing, transport, etc,” he said.
The NUAHP President decried the continued neglect of the health sector by successive administrations in the country.
He insisted that health institutions in Nigeria are grossly underfunded.
“Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) is deeply concerned about the insensitivity of the Federal Government and some state governments towards addressing welfare issues of the public health
workers and infrastructural deficits in public health institutions across the country.
“The public health sector has been underfunded and badly managed by successive administration over the years. The negative implication of this state of the health sector on the health and wellbeing of
citizens who in most cases result to self-medication due to cost of Medicare in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised.
“Even though there are deficits of health professionals and health infrastructure across public health institutions, especially the primary healthcare institutions, services of these health centres are still out of reach of the ordinary citizens.”
He also pointed out that the Federal Government is yet to honour collective agreements reached between it and the health sector unions, despite various social dialogue options employed by the health sector Unions.
He said government also has reneged in implementing judgements of the National Industrial Court of
Nigeria (NICN) delivered in favour of health sector unions under the platform of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) on issues bothering on the rights and conditions of service of health workers.
