Nurses in Kwara Join Nationwide Strike, Urge Govt to Address Lingering Demands

Nurses and midwives in Kwara State have thrown their weight behind the ongoing nationwide one-week warning strike declared by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), citing years of neglect and unfulfilled promises by the Federal Government.

The Kwara State Council of the association confirmed its participation in the strike on Wednesday through a statement signed by its Secretary, Markus Lucas, in Ilorin.

The action, according to the association, is in solidarity with colleagues across the country and is aimed at compelling the government to act on unresolved issues affecting the nursing profession.

“We as nurses in Kwara State stand with our colleagues nationwide in pressing for the fulfillment of our demands,” Lucas stated. He said one of the major grievances is the government’s failure to implement the National Industrial Arbitration Court (NIAC) judgment delivered in January 2012, which favoured nurses and midwives.

Among other national demands are the upward review of professional allowances, adequate recruitment of nursing personnel, provision of modern equipment in health facilities, and the establishment of a dedicated Department of Nursing within the Federal Ministry of Health.

The association is also pushing for increased inclusion of nurses in leadership and policy-making roles in the health sector and their fair representation in federal health institutions.

“These demands are not selfish,” the statement noted. “They are aimed at improving the quality of healthcare delivery, enhancing professional growth, and ensuring better welfare for nurses across Nigeria.”

The Kwara chapter also used the opportunity to highlight state-specific issues affecting its members, despite commending Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for approving a 25 percent salary increment for nurses.

“We acknowledge the recent salary review, but this is just one out of the seven critical demands we submitted to the state government,” Lucas said.

The association listed other unresolved concerns, including the review of entry points for graduate nurses to match their academic qualifications, lack of defined career progression for nurses with single qualifications, and the need for allowances for teaching, call duty, and service in rural areas.

The union stressed that attending to these issues would significantly improve the motivation and working conditions of nurses in the state, ultimately leading to better healthcare delivery for residents.

The strike, which is expected to last a week, continues as NANNM national leadership awaits a response from government authorities.

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