President Bola Tinubu has pleaded with striking health workers to return to work, while promising that his administration would revive and restore public confidence in the health sector in Nigeria.
A statement issued on Monday and signed by Director, Information, in the State House, Mr. Abiodun Oladunjoye, said the president made the commitment on Monday in his office during an audience with leaders of Joint Health Sector Union, an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
Tinubu harped on the importance of the health sector and professionals in the sector as one of commitment to humanity, promising to resolve all identified problems plaguing the system for optimum performance.
He urged the striking union to return to work.
“The health sector is one sector with a commitment to humanity. We will resolve all the problems. Trust must be enshrined in all discussions. I promise you we will accelerate this. We will resolve all the issues. Please go back to work,” President Tinubu appealed to the union leaders.
While expressing the readiness of the union to get its members back to work, Acting Chairman, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, pleaded with Tinubu to pay attention to healthcare delivery system in Nigeria through adequate investment in healthcare infrastructure and better welfare for workers in the sector to stop brain drain.
“Mr. President, now that we have assurance from the top, we are encouraged to go back and talk to our members with a view to going back to work.”
Mr. Olumide Akintayo, a member of the Executive Council of the Union, who accompanied the Acting Chairman to the meeting urged the Federal Government to always respond to Labour issues and nip them in the bud before they become full blown industrial crisis.
