TheCable

The Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has embarked on strike.

Speaking on Wednesday at NAFDAC office in Lagos, Auwalu Yusuf Kiyawa, state chairman of the union, said the strike begins with immediate effect.

Kiyawa said the union will not call off the strike until the workers are paid their welfare packages.

A source told TheCable that only the Lagos and southern part of the union embarked on the strike.

The source said though the entire union agrees on the matter of welfare package, the Abuja and northern axis of the union disagree on the strike as the method to achieving their demands because they believe it is premature.

“According to the director of administration, the workers declared a strike action but the union is divided,” the source said.

“The Lagos/southern people are the ones currently on strike. Abuja and the northern axis are not on strike. They are not all gathered in one place. The chairman is in Lagos and the vice-chairman is in Abuja.

“The Abuja axis believes that the strike is premature and that they will not join. As I speak with you, the staff in Abuja and other northern states are in their offices. They want to give management time.

“The management is trying to hold a meeting with them so until after that meeting, they will now decide. If management does not give in to their request, then they can join Lagos people.

“The issue is bordering on staff welfare. The Lagos and Abuja chapters are unanimous on the issue but the method of achieving it is what they disagree on, particularly the timing.

“The first meeting that was called did not hold because the permanent secretary of health who was supposed to be at that meeting had to attend the federal executive council meeting. They are trying to fix another meeting but the Lagos people refused saying they want to go on strike.”

The union had also gone on strike in 2021 over the backlog of unpaid financial claims, poor work environment, lack of staff bus to ease transportation difficulties, and discriminatory payment of COVID-19 palliative.