The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has lifted the embargo on the salaries of health workers following the suspension of the strike by members of the Joint Health Sector Unions.
A memo obtained by our correspondent which was signed by the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, FMOH, Dafeta Tetshoma and addressed to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation urged the lifting of the “No work No pay” embargo on salaries in good faith.
“Further to letter Ref. No. HMSH&SW/AGF/NOWORK,NO PAY/JOHESU/01 dated 9th January, 2026 on the above subject (copy attached), I am directed to inform you that following the resolutions and terms of settlement reached on Thursday 5″ February 2026 between the federal government and the Joint Health Sector Unions alongside the leadership of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the Nigeria Labour Congress, the union has agreed to suspend the strike action which commenced on 15th November, 2025 with immediate effect.
“I am to further inform you that in good faith with a shared commitment to industrial harmony in the health sector, government has also agreed to immediately withdraw the earlier directive issued for the stoppage of the January 2026 salary of JOHESU members as a consequence of enforcing the Federal Government’s “No Work, No Pay” policy and directed for the payment of January 2026 Salary to all JOHESU members without further delay.
“In view of the foregoing, the Ministry kindly requests the Accountant-General of the Federation to as a matter of urgency, issue the necessary directive to the IPPIS Office for the immediate payment of the suspended January 2026 salaries to all JOHESU members in Federal Tertiary Health Institutions, as part of government’s reciprocity.
“Please accept the kind regards of the Permanent Secretary,” the Director noted.
Recall that JOHESU suspended their 84-day nationwide strike on February 6, 2026, following negotiations with the Federal Government. The strike, which began on November 15, 2025, over the non-implementation of the adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure was paused to allow for the implementation of a new agreement.
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