By Ebitonye Akpodigha
The Federal Government has promised to find lasting solutions to the lingering crisis in the health sector in Nigeria.
This, according to the FG’s negotiating team, is aimed at finally bringing peace to the sector.
The team which comprises the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Chris Ngige; Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole; Minister of State for Health, Dr O. Ehanire; Chairman of the National Income, Salaries and Wages Commission, Mr Richard Egbule and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Clement Iloh met on Thursday at the instance of Mr Ngige.
During the meeting, far reaching decisions were taken among which is the setting up of two committees to look into the issue of the circular on salary adjustments and the payment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure skipping arrears.
Mr Ngige, who addressed the media after the meeting, disclosed that there was an overriding need for social dialogue as the only sure way to industrial peace.
“We have set up two committees; one is to look into the issue of JOHESU demands for relativity circular to enable them get reasonable wages while the other is to look into the issue of skipping because members of the Health Sector Unions of nurses and midwives association, laboratory association want to skip a particular grade level,” the Minister said.
He revealed that the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) also made a joint position on skipping, hence the need to harmonize the positions in the spirit of collective bargaining, bearing in mind, the extant economic down turn in the country.
Similarly, Prof Adewole emphasised the essence of peace in the all-important health sector, promising that “this is the beginning of lasting peace. We wish to take every complaint across board.
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