By Racheal Adebayo
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday appealed to workers in the health sector to bear with the administration in their demands as it braces up for the challenges posed by coronavirus to the economy.
His Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement he sent to The DEFENDER.
The President, who made the appeal when workers in the health sector the under the auspices of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly Healthcare Professionals Associations (AHPA) paid him a courtesy call at the State House, Abuja, assured that government was looking into their issues with a view to resolving them.
“Your case is certainly receiving attention, but you must bear in mind the condition that the country is in now. Coronavirus is not improving matters. It is affecting what we very much depend on, the petroleum industry.
President Buhari, while addressing the visitors, appealed to the patriotic sentiments of their members in these trying times to continue to work for further development of the country.
The Nigerian leader used the opportunity to stress that his administration’s successful drive for food sufficiency in the last four years will definitely come in handy now with the drop in government revenues.
JOHESU, an amalgam of five registered trade unions and AHPA, under the leadership of Comrade Biobelemoye Joy Josiah, had come to intimate the President with some of the contentious issues in the sector and to thank him for some of the positive development.
They notably appreciated President Buhari’s prompt release of funds for tackling Coronavirus, thanking him for assenting to the National Health Act which provides for a one percent consolidated fund for the health sector; and for rejecting the advice of stakeholders, who clamoured for the privatization of the health sector which would have deprived the masses access to affordable healthcare.
They also requested the President’s intervention in adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS); withheld April and May 2018 salaries of members; gazetting of scheme of service for nurses; and restoration of teaching allowances among others.
In attendance were Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha; the Minister and the Minister of State in the Health ministry, Dr.Osagie Ehanire and Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora respectively; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.
