Dare Babalola
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives–Federal Health Institutions Sector, has revealed the reason it has not reached an agreement with the Federal Government to suspend the ongoing warning strike.
The association on Wednesday commenced its planned seven-day warning strike despite efforts by the government to avoid it.
The union, on July 14, 2025, issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding immediate intervention to prevent a total healthcare shutdown.
Some of the demands of the nurses are the upward review of shift allowance, uniform allowance adjustment, a separate salary structure for nurses, increased core duty allowance, mass employment of nurses, and the establishment of a nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health, among others.
Disclosing why the union shunned the government to commence the strike, the National Chairman of the association, Rilwan Morakinyo-Olajide said key government officials were absent at the meeting scheduled on Wednesday.
During an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, Morakinyo-Olajide said, “The meeting ended in deadlock because those who were supposed to be there were not there, especially the Minister of Health, Head of Service to the Federation.
“As of yesterday (Wednesday), the Coordinating Minister of Health invited the leadership, they met and the meeting still ended inconclusively.
“We have not been able to reach an agreement before we can say a meeting is conclusive. In fact, there has to be an MOU signed.”
On the conversation the association had with the government, the Chairman added, “The government is asking us to suspend our strike to enable them look into our demands but we are not comfortable with that, we have to make sure that part of the demands are attended to before we can suspend the strike.”
