Health Union hits FG over ‘economic hardship, insecurity’

The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) has expressed its regrets over what it described as ‘excruciating economic hardship and spate of insecurity’ in the country, and has therefore called on the organised labour to rescue the situation by coming up with a blueprint.

In a press release jointly signed by NUAHP National President, Comrade (Dr) Obinna Ogbonna, and General Secretary, Martin Egbanubi, the Union noted that the build up to the 2023 elections has thrown another challenge to the organised labour on what should be their roles in the democratic process.

In a Press release, the union restated it’s demand for immediate implementation of hazard allowance, implementation of consolidate health salary structure CONHESS and payment of withheld salaries, implementation of all court judgments arising from trade disputes under theaegis of JOHESU, implementation of consultancy status and payment of special allowance among others.

While castigating successive Nigerian leadership failures in fixing basic infrastructures in crucial sectors, the union nevertheless hailed the first generation of leaders, noting that their progressives policies envisioned in national development plan back then, made Nigeria economy compete favourably with China, one of the now Asian Tigers.

The statement reads in part: “Nigerian workers are currently facing excruciating economic hardship’ due to high cost of living and spate of insecurity nationwide.

“Failure of successive leadership to fix basic infrastructures like health, road, power, energy etc is responsible for mass poverty, unemployment, underdevelopment and organized crime across the country.”

On the way forward, the union has therefore charged the Nigerian labour movement to redefine it’s role in national development by coming up with a blueprint aimed at reindustrialisation and rebuilding of critical sectors.

According to the statement, the move would not only help in realising the country’s development agenda, “it will also help curb unemployment in the country.”