• Vows to continue strike despite FG’s “no work, no pay” rule
The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has alleged that over N400 billion in internally generated revenue (IGR) has been lost because of the ongoing strike across 73 federal health institutions (FHIs) nationwide.
JOHESU, which represents non-physician health workers including laboratory scientists, pharmacists and other allied health professionals, commenced its indefinite nationwide strike on November 14, 2025, over the Federal Government’s failure to implement the adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and address other welfare-related demands.
In response, the Federal Government, in a circular dated January 8, 2026, directed Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Directors (MDs) of federal hospitals to enforce the “no work, no pay” rule on JOHESU members with effect from January 2026.
The circular, signed by the Director of Hospital Services at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Abisola Adegoke, instructed hospital heads to deploy “all legal means,” including engaging locum staff, to prevent service disruptions in critical units such as accident and emergency, labour wards and intensive care units.
It further directed hospital managements to strengthen security to safeguard lives and property, ensure that non-striking workers are not harassed or obstructed, and submit regular reports to the ministry on the impact of the strike on service delivery.
Despite the directive, JOHESU has vowed to continue the strike. Speaking with The Guardian, Vice President of JOHESU and President of the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals Association (AHPA), Olumide Akintola, faulted the government’s reliance on the “no work, no pay” policy.
According to Akintola, the policy is not a routine feature of Nigeria’s statutory or bureaucratic framework and is often deployed as a tool of intimidation when the government believes it is losing control. He warned that attempting to weaponise the policy at this stage would not yield positive outcomes for the government.
“You cannot suppress the collective will,” he said. “JOHESU accounts for over 85 per cent of the entire health workforce in this country. It will be tough, it will be rough, but we will weather the storm.”
Akintola added that over 90 per cent of JOHESU members have endorsed the continuation of the strike, stressing that the issues at stake require deep, structural reforms rather than temporary or cosmetic interventions.
“There are fundamental issues that require far-reaching and systemic solutions,” he said. “Except the government is willing to address them properly, we may not achieve the desired results.”
He further criticised the leadership structure within the health sector, arguing that the crisis reflects long-standing governance failures. According to him, the dominance of physician-led appointments in a multidisciplinary sector has undermined effective management.
“To resolve this crisis, the government must be bold enough to appoint seasoned administrators and professionals with strong corporate management experience to run the entire health value chain, from hospitals to the level of medical directors,” Akintola added.
