The Ondo State Government has appealed to nurses in the state operating under the auspices of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives(NANNM) to call off their strike.
Thefrontrank reports that the nurses had on Thursday declared an indefinite strike starting Friday, January 31, 2025, over what they described as the government’s neglect of their welfare.
The State Head of Service, Mr Bayo Philip in a statement on Thursday, stated that the process of meeting their demands have been prioritised and already being worked out.
Philip stressed that the Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had directed that the financial implication be worked out for his consideration and that is presently being concluded.
The statement read: “The attention of the State Government has been drawn to a planned industrial action to be embarked upon by the National Association of Nurses and Midwives, Ondo State branch, effective from Friday, 31st January, 2025.
“To say the least, Government is surprised to learn about the planned action in the news, more so that there is no disputation or any unresolved issue regarding the CONHESS Salary Template, to warrant the planned action.
“It will be recalled that, like other health workers and the generality of the Public Servants in the State, the Nurses recently enjoyed a pay rise arising from the implementation of the N 73,O00 Minimum Wage graciously approved in November, 2024 by our worker-friendly Governor, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.
“In mid January 2025, other health workers, aside the Medical Doctors, met with the Government side to press for a full implementation of CONHESS Salary Table and it was jointly agreed that the matter be placed before Mr. Governor for consideration.
“Mr Governor in his characteristic love for the health sector, directed that the financial implication be worked out for his consideration. And that is presently being concluded and should not be an excuse to delay the payment of January 2025 salary.
“Government is therefore calling on the Nurses to shelve their planned industrial action as there is no basis for such, at all.
“Like other health workers, Nurses are aware of the attention and action of Government and they should allow good reasoning to prevail since there is neither any disputation nor deadlock.
“Nurses in the State General/Specialist hospitals should cancel the planned action as Government will not tolerate any unwarranted disruption to its healthcare services.”
