The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to reviewing the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) as part of efforts to resolve the ongoing strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), insisting that it has not refused to act on the matter.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare stated this on Saturday night in Abuja, following claims by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) that the government failed to implement a 2021 report on CONHESS, a situation that has disrupted health services nationwide.
Speaking through its Director of Information and Public Relations, Mr. Alaba Balogun, the ministry described the allegations as untrue and misleading, adding that the Federal Government had continued to engage JOHESU in order to resolve the dispute and restore industrial peace in the health sector.
In a statement, Mr. Balogun said the ministry’s attention had been drawn to a joint release by the NLC and the TUC on the dispute between the ministry and JOHESU. He said claims that the ministry deliberately refused to implement the report of the Technical Committee on the adjustment of CONHESS, submitted in 2021, were false.
“The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare reiterates and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to sustaining industrial harmony within Nigeria’s health sector,” Mr. Balogun said.
“There is absolutely no truth in the allegations of deliberate refusal to implement the Technical Committee’s report, nor is there any discrimination against any category of health workers,” he added.
JOHESU commenced an indefinite strike on November 14, 2025, demanding that CONHESS be adjusted in the same manner as the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS). The industrial action has affected services in public health facilities across the country.
Mr. Balogun said that, contrary to claims by organised labour, the Federal Government had held several conciliatory meetings with JOHESU since the strike began. He explained that the meetings were convened at both the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and were aimed at resolving the dispute amicably, even as JOHESU approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for intervention.
According to him, a high-level meeting convened by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on January 15 formed part of sustained efforts to de-escalate tensions and reach a mutually acceptable resolution.
“The ministry states unequivocally that it reached a tentative understanding with JOHESU on a framework for resolving the lingering trade dispute at the meeting held on January 15,” Mr. Balogun said.
He explained that during the meeting, JOHESU presented proposals, including the implementation of the 2021 report of the Technical Sub-Committee of the High-Level Body chaired by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), which recommended an adjustment of CONHESS. The unions also demanded the immediate withdrawal of the “No Work, No Pay” circular, insisting that it should not apply to their members.
Responding, Mr. Balogun said the ministry appealed to JOHESU to maintain the status quo to allow the NSIWC to conclude an ongoing job evaluation exercise aimed at determining the appropriate placement of all health professionals. He said the exercise, which began in November last year, was expected to last six months and would pave the way for discussions on salary adjustments and the reconvening of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“In reaching the decision to maintain the status quo, the ministry took into cognisance the conflicting positions of unions and associations in the sector, based on memoranda of understanding signed with the Federal Government in the past,” he said.
On the “No Work, No Pay” policy, Mr. Balogun said the ministry noted that if JOHESU called off the strike in good faith, the issue would be handled administratively. He added that the ministry had expressed willingness to accommodate the NLC and the TUC in subsequent engagements, and raised no objection to their continued participation in the dialogue process.
The statement disclosed that further meetings were held on Tuesday and Thursday to conclude discussions on issues agreed at the January 15 meeting, with a view to getting JOHESU to call off the strike.
“Against this backdrop, the ministry notes that when these sustained engagements are considered alongside the ultimatum issued by the NLC and the TUC, there is a clear mismatch,” Mr. Balogun said.
He noted that the demand for CONHESS adjustment had been in place for more than a decade and remained unresolved by previous administrations. However, he said JOHESU members had benefited from the recent increase in professional allowances for health workers, amounting to about ₦58 billion in arrears from July 2024, and about ₦40 billion annually.
The ministry therefore urged JOHESU to call off the strike and allow negotiations to continue in the interest of the health sector and the Nigerian public. Mr. Balogun also thanked health professionals who continued to work during the strike and assured Nigerians that efforts were ongoing to ensure federal hospitals remained open.
