The National Association Of Nigerian Nurses And Midwives have exempted their members from Borno State from joining in the strike which will begin on Monday, February 24, as a result of the Boko Haram menace in the state.
The leadership of the association announced plans to commence an industrial action over the alleged refusal of the Federal Government to obey the judgment of the national industrial court delivered in favour of the association.
Addressing a news conference in Abuja, the National President of the association, Abdulrafiu Adeniji, says the judgment of the court and the industrial arbitration panel mandated the Federal Government to recognise nursing as an autonomous profession in addition to allowing graduate registered nurses to start work on Grade Level 08.
Adeniji said: “The continuous refusal of the Federal Ministry of Health to comply in full on the implementation of the NSC judgement for the past 34 years can no longer be tolerated by the professional association of nurses and midwives”
While reiterating that “nurses have been patient for 34 years, from May 1981, when the Industrial Administration Panel Award was given, coupled with the fact that subsequent NSC judgments and even the appeal filed by the Federal Ministry of Health were all in favour of the association”, he issued a seven day ultimatum “with effect from February 14” to the ministry of health to “implement the judgment in full”.