Tinubu Begs Striking Health Workers to Return to Work 

* Reiterates commitment to reviving nation’s health sector

Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

President Bola Tinubu has urged striking public health workers to return to work with a promise to look into their demands as soon as possible.

The president, who spoke Monday at an audience with leaders of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in his office at the State House, Abuja, pleaded with the striking union to return to work, emphasising that the health sector is one sector with a commitment to humanity. 

President Tinubu harped on the importance of the health sector and professionals in the sector as one of commitment to humanity, promising to resolve all identified problems plaguing the system for optimum performance.

He assured his guests that: “We will resolve all the problems. Trust must be enshrined in all discussions. I promise you we will accelerate this. We will resolve all the issues. Please go back to work.”

The president reiterated his administration’s resolve to revive and restore public confidence in the health sector in Nigeria.

While expressing the readiness of the union to get its members back to work, the Acting Chairman of JOHESU, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, earlier in his speech, pleaded with President Tinubu to pay attention to healthcare delivery system in Nigeria through adequate investment in healthcare infrastructure and better welfare for workers in the sector to stop brain drain. 

He said: “Mr. President, now that we have assurance from the top, we are encouraged to go back and talk to our members with a view to going back to work.”

Also speaking, a member of the Executive Council of the union, Olumide Akintayo, who accompanied the Acting Chairman to the meeting, urged the federal government to always respond to Labour issues and nip them in the bud before they become full blown industrial crisis.