CDWR OYO: MAKINDE MUST IMMEDIATELY ACCEPT NURSES AND MIDWIVES’ DEMANDS
OYO STATE: CDWR Supports Seven-Day Warning Strike by Nurses and Midwives and Calls on the Makinde-Led Government to Immediately Accede to Their Demands
We Urge Oyo State Leadership of NLC and TUC to Organize a Solidarity Action in Support of the NANNM Strike
The Oyo State Chapter of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) expresses its firm and unequivocal support for the ongoing seven-day warning strike embarked upon by the Oyo State Council of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), which began on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. This strike, in our view, is both justified and long overdue. It reflects the deep frustration and dissatisfaction of nurses and midwives across the state, who have been forced to take this action after exhausting all peaceful and administrative avenues to address long-standing demands.
Among the most pressing issues behind the strike is the continued refusal of the Oyo State Government to implement the new minimum wage for nurses and midwives at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Ogbomoso. This legally mandated improvement in earnings has been unjustifiably delayed for far too long, leaving many health professionals underpaid and demoralised. Compounding the crisis is the critical shortage of nursing personnel across state-owned health institutions. This dire situation has not only placed unbearable strain on the few nurses still in active service but has also severely undermined the quality of healthcare delivery in the state. The need for the urgent recruitment of qualified nurses cannot be overstated. Without it, the entire healthcare system in Oyo State risks further collapse under the weight of increasing public demands.
Other unresolved issues that fueled the ongoing strike include non-payment of uniform allowances, to all Nurses and Midwives in the service of Oyo State in line with public service rule. This and government’s failure to implement the 25% CONHESS salary increment which is meant to enhanced hazard allowances to nurses and midwives working in local government areas have eroded the income and dignity of nurses. Also behind the strike is the denial of lateral conversion and career progression opportunities to nurses who have earned Bachelor’s degree in Nursing Science, an injustice that not only stifles professional growth but also affects service improvement. Furthermore, the state government also failed to financially implement promotions granted between 2018 and 2022 for nurses and midwives at LAUT ECH Teaching Hospital. In other words, while these promotions have been formally approved on paper, the government has not provided the funds to reflect them in the workers’ salaries, effectively rendering the promotions meaningless.
It is in the light of these issues, that the CDWR strongly believes that the strike action by NANNM is a necessary and justified response to the government’s inaction. We, therefore, call on the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde to immediately accede to the demands of the striking nurses and midwives. Delays and empty promises can no longer be tolerated. We also call on the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Oyo State to rise to the occasion by organizing solidarity actions in support of the NANNM strike. These actions should include coordinated public protests, a sustained media campaign, and, if necessary, a 24-hour warning strike involving all public sector workers in the state, in solidarity with the nurses. Such solidarity actions are essential to compel the government to meet all the demands of the striking workers.
In addition, we urge civil society organizations such as the Joint Action Front (JAF), as well as activists and socialists across the state, to lend their voices and support to this NANNM ongoing strike. The success of the nurses’ strike will not only benefit healthcare professionals but also millions of ordinary citizens who depend on public healthcare services Also important is to note that the ongoing strike has laid bare the hypocrisy of the Makinde-led administration, which often claims to be worker-friendly. A government that fails to honor basic entitlements and improve the working conditions of healthcare workers, despite their essential role in society, cannot credibly be described as pro-worker. Therefore, we reiterate our full solidarity with the striking nurses and midwives of Oyo State. It is our believe that their demands are legitimate, struggle is just and victory will be a victory for all workers and ordinary people.
Bamigboye Abiodun (Abbey Trotsky)
(CDWR Oyo State Coordinator)
E-mail: [email protected]