Health workers in Abia state under the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, have suspended their strike in the state after a meeting with the state government and Assembly of Health Professionals, Abia state council on Thursday, 5th of August.
This was revealed in a communique issued after the meeting, signed by Comrade Okoro Ogbonnaya, State Chairman for JOHESU, Comrade Aligwe Chidi. T, State Secretary, JOHESU, and Prof A.C.B Agbazuere, Chief of Staff to Governor Ikpeazu.
The communique reads: After an exhaustive meeting between Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, Assembly of Health Professionals, Abia state council and Abia state government represented by the Chief of Staff, Prof A.C.B Abgazuere, it was resolved as follows;
- JOHESU and Assembly of Health Professionals, Abia State Council commend Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on his giant strides in the state health sector and congratulate him on his recent award as Vanguard’s Governor of the year 2019.
- That payment of CONHESS should be implemented as directed by the governor while paying next salary of Hospitals Management Board, HMB, Local Governments Healthcare Workers, Social Workers in Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Development. JOHESU Exco is permitted to monitor implementation and revert to the Chief of Staff.
- That government should take steps to sustain regular payment of subventions to Abia State University Teaching Hospital, ABSUTH, and Hospitals Management Board, HMB, and also constitute a team comprising more of labour leaders to look into the affairs of ABSUTH and HMB with a view to finding solutions.
- That government should tale immediate steps to commence payment of pension and gratuity to scheduled ABSUTH staff.
- At the end of the deliberations, JOHESU and the Assembly of Health Professionals, Abia State Council resolved to suspend the strike action. Should government renege on this agreement, JOHESU, Abia State Council shall have no other choice than to resurrect the suspended strike action in accordance with Labour Laws.