Nigeria: Katsina Health Workers Suspend Strike

Health workers in Katsina have suspended their warning strike following Governor Dikko Radda’s intervention, but negotiations over outstanding salaries and allowances remain unresolved.

Health workers in Katsina State have suspended their seven-day warning strike following talks with Governor Dikko Radda over outstanding salary adjustments and welfare demands.

The suspension took effect on Sunday, 18 October, according to a circular reportedly issued by the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (AHCP)

The development was announced in a newsflash attributed to the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed, and also reported by Katsina Times.

The circular, dated 17 October and attributed to the assembly’s chairman, Ibrahim Balange, directed members to resume clinical and administrative duties across public health facilities following a meeting with the governor on 16 October.

The assembly comprises the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), and the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP).

According to the statement, the governor committed to reopening negotiations over the workers’ outstanding demands, including salary adjustments, allowances and career progression.

However, the announcement did not establish whether the government had agreed to the workers’ proposed salary adjustments or when outstanding payments would be made.

Government’s commitments

The statement attributed to Mr Kaula said the government agreed to reopen negotiations through a technical roundtable.

The commitments include a review and implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) in accordance with applicable government circulars, alongside a comprehensive review of hazard, call duty and shift duty allowances.

The government also reportedly agreed to address the skipping of CONHESS grade level 10 for eligible officers, in line with the applicable scheme of service.

A joint technical committee is expected to be established with defined terms of reference and a timeline for addressing the outstanding issues.

However, neither the statement nor the reported circular specified when the committee would begin work or when the proposed adjustments would be implemented.

The assembly reportedly commended Mr Radda for intervening in the dispute and thanked its members for their cooperation during the industrial action.

How the dispute began

The suspension follows months of disagreement between health workers and the Katsina State Government over salary disparities and allowances.

As PREMIUM TIMES reported on 15 October, the assembly declared the warning strike after a seven-day notice issued on 7 October expired without a satisfactory resolution.

Mr Balange said the dispute dated back to 2024, when the government indicated plans to review health workers’ remuneration in line with what their counterparts receive in federal health institutions.

A committee established to examine the complaints subsequently submitted recommendations in March 2025, but the union said the government failed to implement them.

According to the union, the state’s Office of Public Service Reform initially offered workers 10 per cent of the salary difference between state and federal health professionals.

The government later increased the offer to 15 per cent, but the workers rejected it as inadequate.

Mr Balange said the assembly had sought full implementation of the applicable federal salary structure and allowances but was willing to accept 75 per cent as a compromise.

The disagreement eventually led to the warning strike, which began on 14 October.

Patients affected by strike

The industrial action disrupted services at public hospitals, leaving patients and caregivers uncertain about access to treatment.

A PREMIUM TIMES report published on Sunday documented disruptions at Turai Yar’Adua Maternal and Child Hospital in Katsina.

During a visit to the hospital on Saturday, only a few patients were seen around the surgical ward.

Caregivers expressed concern over the disruption, including difficulties accessing treatment for patients requiring medical attention.

The state Head of Service, Masa’ud Banye, had confirmed that government officials were engaging the unions to resolve the disagreement.

Although the assembly has now directed its members to return to work, the extent to which normal services have resumed across affected hospitals has not been independently established.

What remains unresolved

The suspension ends the immediate industrial action but leaves questions about the implementation of the government’s commitments.

The reported agreement does not clarify whether the government has withdrawn its earlier 15 per cent offer, accepted the union’s proposed 75 per cent compromise or agreed to another salary adjustment.

It also provides no specific date for settling outstanding allowances or completing negotiations.

The workers are seeking improved remuneration and allowances comparable to those available to their counterparts in federal health institutions.

For now, the reported agreement provides a basis for renewed negotiations, while the resolution of the underlying dispute depends on whether the government and unions reach an implementable settlement.

By Premium Times.