Ogun Doctors Suspend Month-Old Strike

The Ogun State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association has decided to suspend its ongoing strike for four weeks to facilitate constructive dialogue with the state government.

Naija News reports that due to this decision, association members are instructed to return to work at 8:00 AM on Monday, September 2, 2024.

This resolution was made during an emergency general meeting of the association, which took into account the difficulties experienced by the public during the warning strike that affected state government healthcare facilities.

The members actively seek to achieve wage parity between healthcare institutions in Ogun State and those at the federal level while also advocating for the overall welfare of their colleagues.

The strike lasted 25 days, significantly impacting medical services at state-owned healthcare facilities.

During a press conference held at the association’s state secretariat in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Friday, the chairman, Dr OgunJimi Luqman, stated that the emergency general meeting was convened on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, to discuss the ongoing industrial unrest in the state.

“The congress went on recess and reconvened on Thursday 29th August, 2024. The purpose of the meeting was to assess the situation, review the strike’s progress, present a comprehensive report to congress on engagements with the Ogun State government, and make a decision on the strike action,” he said.

Lukman further stated that the association initiated a strike in response to the Ogun State government’s purported inability to enforce the revised CONMESS wage, which was first disbursed to federal counterparts in June 2023.

Despite Nigerian Medical Association executives’ efforts, the issue remains unresolved.

“Congress reviewed the strike’s effectiveness and members’ compliance. The Congress acknowledges the hardship caused to the people of Ogun State due to the government’s failure to respond to doctors’ demands,” Lukman noted.

The congress, nonetheless, called upon the state government to address the association’s requests during this four-week suspension in order to prevent additional industrial discord.

The association is anticipated to reconvene on September 30, 2024, to assess the circumstances, and the assurance of industrial harmony is contingent upon the fulfilment of these demands.