News
Oyo health professionals embark on 7-day warning strike
By Francesca Hangeior
Health professionals under the aegis of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) working in various health facilities owned by the Oyo state government on Monday, March 4, embarked on a 7-day warning strike.
The strike will involve laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, dental technologists, dental therapists, medical social workers, radiographers, nutritionists, dietitians, and health records and information managers in all general, state, and specialist/teaching hospitals throughout the state.
The practitioners include the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN); the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapists (NSP); the Association of Dental Technologists of Nigeria (ADTN) and the Nigerian Dental Therapists Association (NDTA).
Others are the Association of Medical Social Workers of Nigeria (AMSWON); Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN); Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians (AND); Association of Health Records and Information Management Practitioners of Nigeria (AHRIMPN) and the Oyo State Association of Hospitals and Administrative Pharmacists (CSAHAP).
The workers said they decided on the warning strike due to the failure of the state government to exceed the demands which have been tabled before various government committees in over two years.
The ten-point demand put forward by the group and seeking urgent government intervention include: “Implementation of the new national hazard allowance for health professionals; implementation of teaching allowance for NUAHP members who are deeply involved in the training of interns and students on clinical and research postings; adjustment of CONHESS table for our members in the service of Oyo state as already implemented for medical doctors since 2021.”
The demands also include: “Urgent revamping and adequate funding of the state health facilities; release of promotion letters for qualified members who participated in the last promotion exercise in the state; skipping of CONHESS 10 on CONHESS salary table as applicable to Grade Level 11 (on GL Scale) as awarded by National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN); restoration of call duty allowance for dental therapists, recruitment of more health workers and professionals to include members of NUAHP to replace those who are retiring and those who left the service of the state, among other demands.
Addressing a press conference before declaring the strike at a Congress held Monday, NUAHP unit chairman, Comrade Olanrewaju Ajani, flanked by other others said the Union will no longer allow her members to be sidelined and treated as inconsequential in the scheme of things in the health sector in the state.
He said: “The Union will no longer look and allow her members to be sidelined, treated as inconsequential in the scheme of things in the health sector in the state.
“We therefore urge the government under the able leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently look into NUAHP members’ grievances.
“Our members are already pushed to the wall to have resorted to taking this step after exhausting all mechanisms to avoid a trade dispute.
“The 7-day ultimatum as indicated in our letter expired early hours of Monday, 4th March. We hereby direct all our members across all the hospitals and health facilities across the state to proceed on a 7-day warning strike from Monday 4th of March, 2024 till 11th March 2025 and if after the expiration, there is no feasible outcome, the Union will declare an indefinite strike afterwards.”
Members of the Enugu State Caucus of Peoples Democratic Party, ( PDP) in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Nnolim Nnaji , Rt. Hon. Martins Oke and Hon Anayo Onwuegbu have welcomed Rt. Hon. Dennis Agbo and Hon. Chidi Mark Obeta of Labour Party, (LP) to the PDP fold.
They observed that the visionary leadership of Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mba in Enugu State has ignited massive decamps and unprecedented upsurge of membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in the state.
The caucus in a statement issued after the two members of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Dennis Agbo of Igboeze North/ Udenu and Chidi Mark Obeta who represents Nsukka/Igboeze South formally announced their transfer of membership to PDP at the resumption of House plenary on Tuesday said it was gladdening to receive them into the PDP fold.
They stressed that PDP in Enugu State was witnessing a great rebirth as a result of the transformative development agenda being unleashed in various sectors of the economy of the state by Governor Mba which has received global commendations.
The Enugu State caucus Leader, Rt. Hon. Nnolim Nnaji on behalf of the members further noted that Governor Mba’s investments in infrastructure, agro economy, and security among others have made Enugu State a tourist’s haven adding that with the good governance structure he has put in place, his second tenure would be a walkover.
Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, along with twenty-one other former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), elected into the Assembly has officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), following a major realignment of political stakeholders across the state.
The defection of the twenty-two lawmakers has effectively transformed the Delta State House of Assembly into a one-party legislature, as the remaining seven members were originally elected on the ticket of the APC.
Announcing the development on Tuesday during the resumption of plenary after the Easter break, the Speaker stated that the decision was the result of extensive consultations with their constituents and political leaders throughout the state.
He emphasized that the move aligned with Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
While expressing appreciation to members for their contributions so far, Guwor urged the House to ensure the completion of all pending bills as the second legislative session nears its end.
He noted that the political shift towards the APC was in response to the realignment of stakeholders and the desire to align with the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.
“The mass defection of members of the Peoples Democratic Party, led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, to the All Progressives Congress was made in the overall interest of Deltans and the state,” the Speaker said.
He explained that the decision followed extensive consultations held on April 23 and which cumulated on the official reception on April 28, 2025, at the Government House and the Cenotaph, respectively.
He said: “We are fully committed to partnering with the Federal Government to deliver greater development to Deltans.
“On behalf of the House, I commend the courage and visionary leadership of our Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, in making this strategic and timely decision.
“As a legislative body, we stand with His Excellency in this endeavour. This renewed partnership between the state and Federal Government must be supported and allowed to flourish, so that we can begin to enjoy its benefits in the shortest possible time.”
He informed the House that he had received twenty-two letters (including his own) notifying of the change of party affiliation from the PDP to the APC.
The defection, he said, was driven by instability within the PDP’s national leadership and factional divisions within the South-South Zonal Executive Committee, leading to internal conflicts and disunity within the party.
Citing Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Speaker affirmed the constitutional basis for the defection.
“With this action, the Delta State House of Assembly is now composed entirely of members from the All Progressives Congress. We thank our constituents for endorsing this progressive course of action”.
A motion to adopt the letters of party change was moved by the Majority Leader, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, and seconded by Hon. Ferguson Onwo, who represents Isoko South II.
Speaking to journalists after the plenary, the Majority Leader, Hon Emeka Nwaobi reiterated that the defection was prompted by the crisis within the PDP.
“Our decision was based on the instability at the national level and the factionalization at the South-South level. Consequently, we chose to move to the ruling All Progressives Congress, in accordance with Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended,” he said.
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