Federal Government to Gazette Nurses’ Scheme, Averting Strike Threat
Federal Government to Gazette Nurses’ Scheme, Averting Strike Threat
The Federal Government has committed to gazetting the long-awaited nurses’ scheme of service within four weeks. It also agreed to instruct the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to establish a framework for the centralized placement of nurses for internships.
These commitments are part of efforts to address key demands from the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), especially those concerning career advancement, welfare, and internship opportunities.
The agreement was outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding reached at the end of a conciliation meeting held on Friday. The meeting was convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Maigari Dingyadi, and attended by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, along with NANNM leadership.
Nurses and midwives embarked on a seven-day warning strike on Wednesday to push for demands such as the gazetting of the Nurses’ Scheme of Service and an upward review of shift allowances.
However, the strike was suspended on Saturday, following an agreement reached between the association and the Federal Government.
The MoU obtained on Sunday was signed by the President of NANNM, Haruna Mamman, General Secretary, T. A. Shettima; Director of Human Resources at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dafeta T. Tetshoma; and Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Falonipe Amos.
The gazetting of the nurses’ scheme of service, originally approved by the National Council on Establishments in 2016, in Minna, Niger State, is a document that outlines the career structure, qualifications, job descriptions, and progression pathways for public servants in Nigeria, including nurses and other professionals.
According to the MoU, “The association was assured that the scheme of service shall be gazetted.
“The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has already written to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on the need to get the Scheme of Service gazetted.
“The Director of Nursing of the FMOH&SW and the office of the Secretary General NANNM are to follow up with the Head of Service and the Federal Government Printer and ensure that the gazetting is done within four weeks.”
In addition to the gazetting process, the MoU also highlighted other resolutions, including the implementation of the National Industrial Court judgment on creating a Department of Nursing at the Federal Ministry of Health.
It was resolved that the matter be referred to the Ministry of Justice for interpretation and compliance with the NICN Judgement.
On professional allowances, which includes shift duty allowance for nurses at 30 per cent consolidated; 20 per cent specialist allowance for all specialist nurses per annum; upward review of uniform allowance to N300,000 per annum; upward review of call duty allowance for nurses at four per cent consolidated; payment of 35 per cent teaching allowance to all nurses; payment of peculiar excess workload and burnout allowance to nurses; and payment of retention allowance to mitigate brain drain, it was agreed that the Ministry of Health will discuss separately with each of the major blocks of the health professional unions on the proposals, along with other necessary departments within two weeks.
Regarding the centralisation of internship placements for graduate nurses, it was agreed that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would immediately instruct the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to establish a framework for centralized placements, similar to what is in place for other professional groups. The Council is expected to finalize the ongoing process while ensuring placements reflect the needs of various states, to prevent an overconcentration in Abuja and Lagos.
On the issue of fair representation of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) on the boards of tertiary health institutions, the minister assured the union that appointments would be made in a fair and just manner, consistent with the governing Acts of those institutions.
He also pledged that the governing board of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria would be constituted as soon as possible.
Furthermore, Prof. Muhammad Pate revealed that the ministry had approved waivers for the employment of over 14,000 health workers in 2024, with nurses accounting for around 60 per cent of that number. He added that recruitment for 2024 has been concluded, and the process for issuing employment waivers for 2025 is already underway.
