Regina Otokpa 
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have issued a final 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare (FMOH&SW) and relevant government authorities, warning of a nationwide strike if the long-delayed adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) is not implemented.
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, January 23, 2026, the two labour centres condemned what they described as the “persistent, deliberate and provocative” refusal of the government to implement the report of the Technical Committee on the adjustment of CONHESS.
The committee, chaired by the Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, submitted its report as far back as 2021.
The ultimatum was jointly signed by Comrade General N.A. Toro, PhD, mni, Secretary General of the TUC, and Comrade Benson Upah, Acting General Secretary of the NLC, who said the government must act urgently to avert an avoidable national industrial crisis.
The planned actions include mass protests, picketing of health institutions and government offices, and a nationwide withdrawal of services.
All affiliates, the 36 state councils and the Federal Capital Territory councils of both labour centres have been placed on red alert and directed to commence mobilisation.
According to the unions, the five-year delay has gone beyond an administrative lapse and now represents a conscious act of injustice, bad faith and institutional disrespect to health workers.
They said the failure to act has inflicted hardship, frustration and inequality on members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), who constitute a critical segment of the nation’s healthcare workforce.
The TUC and NLC drew attention to what they called discriminatory treatment within the health sector, noting that the government had no difficulty implementing adjustments to the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for doctors with effect from January 2, 2014, while deliberately refusing to do the same for CONHESS. This, they said, exposes the insincerity of the government’s commitment to fairness, equity and industrial harmony.
Despite repeated engagements and restraint shown by organised labour in the interest of industrial peace, the unions said the FMOH&SW has remained unresponsive, offering excuses instead of concrete action. They described the ministry’s posture as an abuse of trust and a direct challenge to organised labour.
Consequently, the TUC and NLC declared a “final and irrevocable” 14-day ultimatum, effective January 23, 2026, demanding the immediate implementation of the 2021 Technical Committee report on CONHESS in line with established precedents in the health sector.
They warned that failure to comply within the ultimatum period would force organised labour to mobilise workers across the public and private sectors for coordinated industrial action.
