…Ex-NLC president, says local refining of crude, solution to subsidy crisis
Comrade Kabiru Minijibir, Ag National President of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, has commended President Bola Tinubu for approving the implementation of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for health workers.
Minijibir stated that the salary adjustment takes effect from June 2023, and urged President Tinubu to also accede to other demands causing disaffection within the health sector in order to guarantee industrial peace at all times.
He made the remark at the 49th National Executive Council Meeting of the union at the secretariat of the MHWUN on Wednesday.
Recall that a circular dated 25th July 2023 by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, NSWIC had been issued reviewing the consolidated health salary structure, CONHESS, for health professionals including the payment of N25,000 accoutrement allowance to medical and dental doctors in the federal public service.
The circular was signed by Ekpo Nta, chairman and chief executive officer of NSIWC.
“The new salary table is attached as Annex 1. 3. All enquiries concerning this circular should be directed to the National salaries, incomes and wages commission,’’ the salary review circular read.
He said, “This conglomerate under the leadership of our Union has embarked on many struggles with the federal government on many issues.
“Among these issues was government failure to address our flagship agitation for CONHESS adjustment, this issue led JOHESU to embark on a one week strike action which later attracted the attention of his excellency, President Bola Tinubu.
“The good news is that the adjustment of the CONHESS table has finally received approval of the President, effective June 2023”.
The Ag MHWUN President also commented on the state of the nation, saying the country is faced with challenges of banditry, kidnapping, oil bunkering, illegal mining and agitation for secession from various parts of the country paralyzing social and economic activities.
While lamenting on the situation, he said, “Hardly any day goes by without one negative news or the other. Painfully, all the assurances from the successive government have not manifested to any meaningful outcome, leaving citizens to the mercy of the dreaded non-state actors”.
On the controversies arising from the fuel subsidy removal policy, former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba said the only option open to the incumbent government is local production of crude in indigenous refineries, noting that the crisis would remain on ground irrespective of any interventions or palliatives.
He noted that the concept of democracy is to bring prosperity to the people, stressing that even the little interventions in terms of palliatives, not many governors have been able to implement it effectively.
His words, “As a union fighting for the cause of our members, we must build a strong financial base to be able to defend workers rights. What we see now in the world of work is a dissatisfied workforce, no worker can boast that his or her salary can last for 30 days.
“Democracy must bring prosperity to the people, talking about palliatives, not more than 10 percent of the governors are utilising the money effectively. I believe that there should be a template for the distribution of these palliatives.
“Talking about our present predicament as a nation, the best way out is refining our own crude here at home because we can determine how we use it or price it, “ he said.
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