Oyo Govt Appeals to Striking Nurses to Call Off Strike

The Chairman of Oyo State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Akin Fagbemi, has appealed to the striking nurses in the state to call off their strike, citing the magnanimity of Governor Oluseyi Makinde in addressing workers’ issues.

Dr. Fagbemi made the appeal during an interview in his office at the state secretariat, Agodi Ibadan.

“The demands of the striking nurses are purely administrative, which is within the power of the state government to address. His Excellency has given directives regarding their demands”

The key areas of contention include recruitment, which the government addressed in 2020 by recruiting health workers and issuing directives to replace vacancies within the board.

The chairman noted that the advertisement for recruitment has been publicly available to recruit competent hands in various categories, including doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and physiotherapists.

Dr. Fagbemi revealed that he has been in talks with the chairman of the nurses and midwives union, and they have seen positive steps taken by the state government.

He urged the striking nurses to reconsider calling off the strike, citing the efforts of other health workers who have been working round the clock to fill the gap created by the strike.

“I appeal to the striking nurses to call off the strike in the interest of the entire populace of the state. The executive governor of the state, Engr Oluseyi Makinde, has been very magnanimous in responding to all government workers’ issues in the state, including the nurses, he said

The chairman praised the commissioner for health, permanent secretaries of the ministry and board, the HOS, and the SA to the governor on Labour Matters for their efforts to end the strike.

He emphasized that recruitment is a continuous process and that the board will address gaps in the hospitals before the end of the year.