ASABA/Nigeria: Student nurses and educators in Delta State, has protested against the impending industrial action (strike) by the State Chapter of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).
The peaceful demonstration at the Nigeria Labour Congress Secretariat (NLC) in Asaba was led by principals of School of Nursing (Agbor), School of Midwifery (Sapele), School of Midwifery (Asaba), School of Nursing (Eku) and School of Nursing (Warri).
Speaking during the protest, the Principal of School of Nursing, Agbor, Mr Nduka Egwulu, alleged that the association had demanded, among other issues, the reversion of transfers of lecturers in the state or go on strike, arguing that such demand was ‘’a purely civil service issue.’’
Lending their voices, Thelma Woli, Janet Ebonka and Timothy Onorikpori, who are the principals of School of Midwifery (Asaba), School of Midwifery (Sapele), and School of Nursing (Warri) respectively contended that the proposed strike will further disturb the academic calendar already stressed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
They stressed that internal issues within the association can be resolved through other diplomatic channels rather than embarking on strike, even as they acknowledged the luster performance of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the State.
Responding to their claims, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku, said that the state government had invited organized labour for deliberations to negotiate on issues bothering NANNM.
Comrade Ofoburuku who appreciated their concern for uninterrupted nursing education in the state said the complaints by the state chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, assured that a win-win resolution of the issues would be achieved.
He cautioned the protesters not to deviate from the important issues and malign the leadership of the association, stressing that such distractions would not address the concerns raised.
‘By the grace of God, whatever issues that are bothering the union and government will be resolved and there may be no need for any strike action. As a health-worker, I know that Strike is the last thing we want because human lives are involved; this is also coupled with the fact that it will inconvenience the students, their parents and their prospects. By the grace of God, we shall do all that is humanly possible to ensure that we avert the strike,’’ he said.
Leaders of the Students Union Government (SUG) of the schools of nursing and midwifery across the state expressed their frustration of having their academic calendar suffer further setback if the looming strike became a reality.
‘Any strike, as proposed, will mean that all students’ activities will be altered and this could mean that we will spend more than three years in school. The students oppose any attempt and by any person or group of persons towards causing problems through strike or by any other means that will lead to the extension of our course duration,’’ they said.
The students and teachers also visited the Civil Service Commissioner, where they had similar meeting with the commission’s Chairman, Dame Nkem Okwuofu and members.
At the State Civil Service Commission, the team urged the chairman Chief Nkem Okwuofu and other commissioners of the commission to help interpret the civil service rules as they were convinced that the leadership of the state chapter of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives had derailed.
Quoting from the revised Civil Service Rules 2019, the chairman of the commission, Chief Nkem Okwuofu, said they would act immediately to resolve the issues even as she affirmed that three cadres of nursing progression namely Nursing Education, Nursing Administration and Clinical Nursing recognized by the state government were independent of each other.
She urged them to continue to uphold what was right and avoid unnecessary distractions.
