The Federal Government said last night that the indefinite strike embarked upon by health workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) was wrong.
It threatened to invoke the relevant labour laws in dealing with the striking workers, if they fail to return to their duty posts.
In a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press, Samuel Olowokore, said the government was surprised that the workers embarked on the strike despite the Federal Government keeping faith with the terms of agreements signed with the unions.
Appealing to the workers to consider the plight of sick Nigerians and return to work, the statement said the government would not fold its hands and watch innocent Nigerians subjected to untold hardship.
It said the decision of the workers to embark on strike was surprising.
It said: “At a period the Federal Government is faithfully managing lean resources to ensure industrial harmony in all sectors, a measure of patriotism is expected of all labour unions to enable government have an equable social and very good labour milieu in which workers could be assured of security of employment.
“It is on record that government has met almost all the demands of these unions on issues such as the payment of promotion arrears, salary shortfalls among others as per the agreement reached on September 30, 2017.”
“The Federal Government, therefore, wishes to appeal to JOHESU to reconsider its position in view of the immeasurable consequences of its action on sick patients in hospitals across the nation.”
“While the Federal Government restates its commitment to the implementation of the Terms of Settlement reached with JOHESU, it shall not however fail in its sacred responsibility of protecting the lives of the numerous patients in all public health institutions, where this group of health workers have unjustifiably withdrawn their services.
“If this group of health workers persist on continuing this strike, government will be forced to invoke the provisions of the relevant labour laws, especially Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, Cap.T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 as well as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles concerning employers rights over strikes in essential services sector,” the statement concluded.