By Umar Bayo Abdulwahab
Ilorin
Health workers in the employ of Kwara state government have suspended the strike embarked upon in January, this year.
The striking health workers included the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Community Health Extension Workers, Laboratory Technicians and Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, among others.
Workers in the state-owned clinics and hospitals called out workers on industrial action on January 2, to demand for salary increment and other incentives.
They were demanding for increase in Consolidated Health Institutions Salary Scheme (CONHESS) from 50 per cent to 100 per cent as well as provision of infrastructures in the state-owned health institutions.
Secretary of the State Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Comrade Babatunde Fashakin, said the union decided to suspend the strike, hoping to continue negotiating with the government after the election.
He said the workers considered the interest of the general public and intervention of stakeholders and leaders in the health sector, saying: “We are going to re-open negotiation after election.”
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed commended the health workers for suspending the strike, assuring that their demands would be addressed.
Ahmed, who addressed workers yesterday, promised that the government would improve on the earning of health workers and other categories of civil servants in the state.
“We are in the process of improving our revenue and we will definitely support them in improving on their service because we believe in giving incentives to civil servants to improve their productivity,” he said.