The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Oyo State Council has called on the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde to swiftly address its eight cardinal demands so as to call off its ongoing indefinite industrial strike.
The Nursing officers which constitute sixty-five ( 65) percent of the medical staff in any country around the world, has from Wednesday 22nd May, 2024 in Oyo State embarked on an indefinite strike to press home its demand from the state government.
The chairman, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Oyo State Council, Dr. Samuel Adeyemi noted that the council understood that the strike might affect patients on treatment, noted that failure of the government to sincerely implement due demands of the association has eventuated the ongoing indefinite strike action.
While appreciating good developmental plan Seyi Makinde in terms of infrastructural building, security, prompt payment of worker’s salaries, Dr. Adeyemi added that the association resolved to industrial actions as it seemed the governor of the state, Seyi Makinde is yet to have the clear cut of the associations’ plights and demands.
” It has got to the level the association needs to get the governor of the state, Engineer Seyi Makinde aware of poor treatment of the medical nurses in the state and going on an indefinite strike is a step further to reach his administration”, he said.
The state Nursing and Midwifery Association Chairman insisted that the Association has been suffering from administrators since 2011 ranging from poor recruitment, formalization of workers’ promotion, hazard allowance, uniform allowance, despite the promise of the government to respond to the association’s demands, since year 2020.
” You will agree with me that promotion is an impetus to us as workers. I can tell you that my members who were promoted in 2017 to 2020, there was no letter to reflect their past years promotions rather this administration began from year 2020. Why this? Administrators in the state have always treated nurses with nonchanlancy. We approached the government of Makinde through letters and he ordered for prompt promotion approval openly but some set of wicked souls, refused until now.”
” The administrators said promotions might expose to the world that there were not enough medical personnel, why the needful not done? Out of 200, 000 nurses in Oyo state, only 500 are active in the service, as some have resulted in leaving for greener pastures even in the neighbouring states such as Lagos, Ogun, and others outside the country’s as it appears only nurses in Oyo State suffer. The WHO standard is 1 nurse per 4 patients, here in Oyo state, it is 1 nurse to 100 patients, yet, promotion expected not taken seriously”, Dr. Adeyemi added.
Similarly, the Secretary, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Oyo State Chapter, Comrade Aina Emmanuel lamented why the directive of the governor since 2020 over promotion of every medical staff is yet to be formalized, adding that the earlier promoted colleagues from 2017 remain unrecognized as their due promotion letter s, rather it was postdated.
” We say, okay, we are not even asking for arrears, give their nominal date, the concerned authority has remained head bent all these years to promote them nominally dated”, he said.
He maintained that the association members have not enjoyed what he described ” career progression”, adding that the affected members were promised to enjoy this while they bagged Bachelor of Nursing Sciences in while only Oyo state, among other states of the federation, including Osun, Ogun, among others is yet to adopt the system since 2015.
” Oyo State is a pacesetter for crying out loud, it is yet to adopt what has been approved by the Council of Nurses and Midwives. “
Faulting the slow decision of the state government to approve recruitment of nurses in the state, despite plenty of out of country workers’ information since year 2023, Comrade Aina Emmanuel said it is surprising that there has not been official recruitment of medical nursing staff, due payment of hazard allowance, uniform allowance ,among others in the state against implementation in other states of the federation.
In general, the Association called the governor of the state, Seyi Makinde to address its cardinal requests as to put a pause to the ongoing industrial actions, informing that its members reverend the administration of the governor, and will support for more achievements beyond fifth year of governance.
