Idowu Abdullahi
The Joint Health Sector Unions has urged the Federal Government to immediately facilitate the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure for health workers and ignore salary parity claims in the health sector by some stakeholders.
The union also faulted claims by the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics and Nigerian Medical Association over the ongoing dispute on salary relativity in the health sector, warning that attempts to derail parity under the CONHESS salary structure amount to misinformation, distortion of facts, and discrimination.
In a statement on Tuesday, signed by JOHESU Chairman, Comrade Kabiru Minjibir, and National Secretary, Comrade Martin Egbanubi, the union urged the FG and the public to note that NAMDA and NMA admitted that the 2014 CONMESS adjustment was selective.
“In the light of the fact that we have graphically shown existing relativity at the entry point and that a CBA supersedes an MoU, JOHESU strongly demands again that the Federal Government through the FMoH, immediately facilitates the adjustment of CONHESS as a first-line redress of the years of the holocaust we suffer in the work environment,” the statement read in part.
PUNCH Healthwise earlier reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria on Friday threatened a nationwide industrial action over the FG’s alleged continued failure to implement the reviewed CONHESS.
The unions, in a statement, issued what they described as a final and irrevocable 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Ministry of Health and relevant authorities, warning that failure to act would trigger mass mobilisation of workers across the country.
However, NAMDA and NMA issued separate statements criticising the NLC and TUC for issuing a 14-day ultimatum to the government without consulting them.
However, JOHESU on Tuesday said NAMDA and NMA’s argument reflected “a palpable but regrettable arrogance of ignorance that physicians continue to display in relationship structuring in this clime”.
The statement read, “NAMDA and its allies opined, albeit without hesitation, that the Labour Centres should have approached it before making informed decisions on the situation of things in the health sector.
“The fact is that physicians appreciate that they are protected not only by their physician godfathers but additionally by the instruments of the state, which they have deployed maximally to protect their oppressive, suppressive, and aggressive hegemony.”
Monetarily, JOHESU argued that the gap between CONMESS and CONHESS remains wide.
“The CONMESS salary scale is fundamentally and substantially larger than CONHESS. They are not parallel scales; they are not remotely equal. Yet, despite this clear advantage, the public is being misled with claims of imbalance,” the union said.
To buttress its claim, JOHESU said a non-physician director earns roughly the same as a CONMESS 4 doctor after about six years in service, while a chief consultant earns about 135 per cent of a Grade Level 17 officer.
“These figures alone expose the exaggeration and deliberate distortion being pushed in the public space,” it added.
The union also said the dispute was nearing resolution late last year.
“What makes the current narrative even more dishonest is that this matter was already nearing closure in December 2025,” it said,
On the NLC, TUC ultimatum, JOHESU said it would “lead the way with trusted partners to redress years of monumental injustice”.
“This cheap blackmail must be confronted directly. We have had enough of the noise. We challenge NAMDA or NMA to bring the tables and figures out before we do it for them. Let Nigerians see the truth for themselves,” the statement added.
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