The Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, (NANNM) Benue State Council, Comrade Tahav Kershior, has debunked insinuations that the Association’s current statewide strike is politically motivated.
Comrade Kershior made this known on Wednesday in a chat with newsmen at the Association’s State Secretariat in Makurdi, the Benue capital.
“Let it be clearly placed on record that this strike is not politically motivated, contrary to the false narratives being peddled by some mischief-makers. Rather, this industrial action is a sincere and patriotic effort to save the health sector in Benue State from total collapse,” he said.
He stated that the Association remains loyal and appreciative to Governor Hyacinth Alia, emphasizing that as professionals and stakeholders in the health sector, the Association would continue to engage constructively, responsibly, and demand accountability and concern when policies and/or actions undermine service delivery and staff welfare.
Comrade Kershior listed the issues that necessitated the strike, such as gross shortage of manpower across all health institutions in the state, decaying and dilapidated infrastructure, denial of promotion and promotion skipping for nurses employed at BSUTH since 2016, and no payment of uniform allowance and rural allowance for nurses in PHCB and HMB for over two decades.
The NANNM Chairman listed other issues as non-payment of salary arrears and uniform allowance for nurses employed at BSUTH in 2024, non-payment of arrears arising from the upward review of CONHESS and the new hazard allowance, improper headship of the Benue State House of Assembly Clinic, whereby a Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW) on GL 12 is made to head a professional nurse on GL 14, and the demand for expungement of nurses from the Contributory Pension Scheme, among other issues.
The Association expressed its love for the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia, acknowledged the Governor’s commitment to the development of the state, and seeks an audience with the Governor to bring a lasting solution to the long-standing issues in order to suspend the strike in the overriding interest of public health.
