Health workers' strike: FG urged to proscribe JOHESU

The Incorporated Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to proscribe the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) as an illegal association. Addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja the Executive Director of the foundation, Barrister Okere Kingdom Nnamdi said the President can exercise his power under Section 1 of the Trade Dispute (Essential Services) Act to proscribe JOHESU. According to Nnamdi, his organisation will commence a contempt proceeding on Monday, against the President and the executives of JOHESU if it fails to call off the strike at the close of work on Friday as directed by the President of the National Industrial Court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo in a judgment he delivered on Thursday. Recalled that the President of the National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja had in a judgment delivered on Thursday in an exparte motion by the foundation, ordered Mr. Josiah Biobelemoye (President) and Mr. Chimele Ogbonna (Vice-President), as representatives of JOHESU to call back their members throughout the federation to suspend the strike action they embarked upon on 17th April 2018 or there about and report at their various duty post within the next 24 hours. The Incorporated Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International had joined the Messrs Josiah Biobelemoye, Chimele Ogbona, Heal Minister, Isaac Oluwole, Federal ministry of health, Ministers of Labour and Productivity, Labour and Productivit, of Justice and the National Salary, Income and Wages Commission as first to eighth respondents in the exparte application which the Industrial court compelled JOHESU to immediately resume duties at the various health institutions across Nigeria and to immediately suspend the strike embarked upon on 17th April, 2018 and has denied many Nigerians access to health care and has resulted in the death of estimated 1, 210 Nigerians. The court also ordered JOHESU to return to the negotiation table with the federal government taking into consideration the provision of the National salaries, income and wages commission Act and other enabling laws, to arrive at an acceptable and reasonable upward adjustment of CONHESS salary scale and arrears, until the plaintiff’s application is heard and determined, or until further order of the Court. The Ex-parte motion was brought by Incorporated Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International praying among others for An order of Interim Injunction compelling the striking members of the joint health sector union to immediately resume duties at the various health institutions across Nigeria; and to immediately suspend the ongoing strike which was commenced on the 17th April, 2018 and which has denied many Nigerians access to health care, especially those on emergency/accident unit, pregnant women on antenatal and those on postnatal. After reviewing the application, Justice Adejumo held that “I have gone through the Motion Exparte, filed by the claimant/applicant. I have equally perused and digested all supporting processes attached therewith. “To my mind, this motion is seeking an order/orders of this court in the interest of the Nigerian citizenry suffering health-related hazards in consequence of the ongoing industrial action to wit strike embarked upon by the 1st and 2nd defendants/ respondents. “The principal role herein is to balance the convenience of the striking employees and that of the innocent Nigerians who are now the victims of the strike of which they knew nothing about. “This court according to the International best practices is not to consider only the interest of parties before it alone. It must go a further to consider the consequence of its decision or pronouncement on the larger society, who are members of the larger society, I am referring to? These are innocent members of the society who are the worst hit of the ongoing strike. “I hereby grant the prayers contained in the motion exparte and ordered that, the 1st and 2nd defendants/respondent who are principal officers and representatives of joint health sector union JOHESU are hereby ordered to call back their members throughout the federation to suspend the strike action they embarked upon on 17th April 2018 or there about and report at their various duty pot within the next 48hours. “The Minister of Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and Minister of Justice/Attorney General of the Federation (3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th defendants/respondents) are hereby ordered to put in place a reconciliatory process towards amicable settlement of the trade dispute within the next 72 hours. “The 1st and 2nd defendants/respondents are hereby ordered to attend any reconciliatory process that may be put in place by the 3rd – 7th defendants/respondents”, Justice Adejumo stated and added that the orders are made in the overall interest of the Nigerian Citizenry. The Court adjourned till June 4th, 2018 to commence hearing in the substantive suit ‎file by the Foundation.]]>