Nurses issue 15-day ultimatum to FG over alleged victimisation of members

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Health Institutions (FHI) Sector, has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding urgent intervention over what it described as the victimisation, intimidation and unfair treatment of its members and elected union officials at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Barnawa, Kaduna.

In a notice, dated 15 July,  2026, signed by the National Chairman of the NANNM-FHI Sector, Comrade Morakinyo Olajide Rilwan, the union gave the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare until 29 July to address its grievances, warning that it would embark on a three-day nationwide warning strike if the issues remained unresolved after the expiration of the ultimatum.

The association alleged that the hospital management suspended its unit chairman for temporarily accommodating stranded nursing students on clinical posting at the union secretariat, insisting that the humanitarian gesture should have attracted commendation rather than disciplinary action.

NANNM also condemned what it described as the unjust demotion of the unit’s Public Relations Officer and two other members from CONHESS 13 to CONHESS 12, arguing that the action lacked any justifiable basis and had adversely affected the welfare and morale of the affected officers.

The union further accused the hospital’s Medical Director of failing to implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached after a prolonged industrial dispute and signed in the presence of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, describing the development as a breach of the collective bargaining process.

According to the association, the Medical Director’s leadership has continued to fuel industrial disharmony, victimisation of union officials and disregard for duly executed agreements, leading the union to lose confidence in her ability to maintain harmonious labour-management relations in the institution.

As part of its demands, NANNM called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to immediately lift the suspension of the unit chairman and restore all his rights and privileges, while reversing the demotion of the affected officers and reinstating them to their appropriate CONHESS grade levels with all attendant benefits.

The union also demanded the immediate implementation of all terms contained in the earlier Memorandum of Understanding, a thorough investigation into allegations of victimisation and anti-union practices at the hospital, and decisive administrative action to restore industrial harmony, including a review of the continued suitability of the current Medical Director to lead the institution.

While reaffirming its commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes, NANNM warned that failure by the government to address the issues within the 15-day period would leave it with no alternative but to commence a three-day warning strike.