JOHESU threatens fresh strike if implementation fails by April

The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to implement agreed salary adjustments by April 2026.

The Chairman of the Cross River State chapter of JOHESU, Dr Bassey Icha, made this known in Calabar, the state capital, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.

The warning follows the suspension of the union’s strike, which began on November 15, 2025, and was halted on February 6, 2026.

Icha said work resumed after members held congresses in their respective units and branches, adding that the strike was driven mainly by the non-review of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), introduced in 2009 without adjustment.

According to him, doctors under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) have enjoyed multiple reviews, widening the pay gap in the health sector.

“JOHESU was not demanding parity with doctors’ salaries but was seeking a fair review based on government salary templates,” he said.

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Icha stated that several Memoranda of Understanding signed with the government since 2014 had not been implemented, adding that a 2021 memo forwarded to the Budget Office was yet to pass through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

Icha said JOHESU agreed to suspend the strike after the government appealed for time, pending committee approval expected by April.

“Failure to achieve positive outcomes by the end of April would force JOHESU back to industrial action,” he said.

Icha said research showed that Nigeria paid health workers less than most West African countries, including Ghana.

He urged the government to prioritise training, modern equipment, and improved working conditions to strengthen healthcare delivery nationwide.

The Star