Be Patient, Abia Govt Appeals To Health Workers Over New Salary Structure
The Abia State Government has called on health workers in the state to exercise patience and allow ongoing consultations to run their course regarding the implementation of a new salary structure.
Speaking during the ongoing 50th South East Zonal Meeting of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) held in Umuahia on Thursday, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Labour Relations, Sir Godson Agocha, assured the union that the concerns raised would be addressed through constructive engagement, not confrontation.
The appeal followed a statement by the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abia and National Vice President of MHWUN (South East), Mr. Okoro Ogbonnaya, who alleged that the government’s centralisation of salary payments is being used as a strategy to eliminate the CONHESS structure in favour of the national minimum wage, effectively removing professional allowances that define their cadre.
“Our members are not ordinary staff. They include laboratory scientists, pharmacists, veterinary doctors, nurses, and other highly trained professionals working across ministries, parastatals, and local government areas.
“We are entitled to shift duty, hazard allowance, call duty, and other statutory benefits that are now under threat,” he said.
Ogbonnaya further alleged that the government may be acting on misinformation from advisers who do not understand the implications of removing CONHESS, a structure he said has legal backing and has been in use since 2011.
“We’ve written several letters and even issued a 21-day ultimatum, which expired two days ago. We’ve refrained from strike action pending the outcome of this meeting, but if nothing is done, we’ll be forced to take a stand,” he stated.
The union also accused the state of attempting to remove scientific officers from their designated professional jurisdictions, warning that such moves compromise both competence and service delivery in the health sector.
However, the state government assured that it “is a government that has prioritised workers’ welfare. Salaries are now paid on or before the 28th of every month, and inherited arrears have been cleared.
“What the union is asking for is not being ignored. There’s a process, and we appeal for continued patience and dialogue,” Agocha said.
He acknowledged the union’s demand for the retention of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), known popularly as “Congress,” but insisted that any adjustments must align with the legal and fiscal realities of the state.
“This administration operates on the principle of social dialogue. We are not discarding their requests. Whatever is implementable within the bounds of law and resources will be given due attention,” he said.
Agocha also commended the zonal meeting as a significant step towards regional integration, describing it as a platform for unity and collaboration among health workers in the South East.
THE WHISTLER reports that the 50th South East Zonal Meeting of MHWUN, according to the Union, is aimed at strengthening unity across the region, evaluating shared challenges, and formulating a collective response.
The Union noted that a communiqué is expected to be issued at the end of its meeting on Friday.
Be Patient, Abia Govt Appeals To Health Workers Over New Salary Structure is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
