Key Demands Must Be Met Before We Suspend Strike, Nurses Insist

Agbariko1 AKure, Ondo State
3 Min Read

Despite a meeting with the Minister of Labour on Tuesday, the final day of the 15-day ultimatum issued on July 14, 2025, the nurses’ union went ahead with its planned seven-day warning strike on Wednesday.

During an interview on Channels Television’s, Sunrise Daily on Thursday, the National Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives–Federal Health Institutions Sector (NANNM–FHI), Morakinyo Rilwan, made it clear that the strike would not be suspended unless the government addresses key aspects of their demands.

When asked what the union’s response would be if the government requested they call off the strike while negotiations continued, Rilwan replied, “That’s the usual request, but we are not comfortable with it. Some of our demands must be met before we even consider pausing the strike.”

He explained that the government was given ample time to respond to their grievances but failed to act within the two-week window.

Calls for Dialogue

On Wednesday, Minister of Labour Muhammadu Dingyadi appealed to the striking nurses to end the industrial action, urging them to return to the negotiation table. He stressed that dialogue was a more effective approach to resolving disputes and mentioned that further talks were scheduled for Friday at the Ministry of Health.

Union Insists on Action

However, Rilwan insisted that the strike was a last resort due to the government’s repeated delays and lack of meaningful response. He emphasized that nurses are typically reluctant to take such measures due to their compassion for patients, but years of unmet demands have left them with no other choice.

“Nurses are naturally empathetic, and we care deeply about our patients. This isn’t something we wanted to do, but after waiting this long, the strike became necessary,” he said.

He added that the union would not end the action unless the government shows clear and tangible commitment to addressing their concerns.

Key Demands

Rilwan listed the union’s demands, which include:

Formal gazetting of the nursing scheme of service,
Improved shift and specialty allowances,
Recruitment of additional nurses,
Upward review of salaries,
Establishment of a nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health,

He reiterated that only visible efforts to address these issues would convince the union to consider ending the strike.

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