COMMUNIQUE RELEASED AT THE END OF NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEC) MEETING AND SPECIAL NATIONAL DELEGATES CONFERENCE (SNDC) OF NIGERIAN UNION OF ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS (NUAHP) HELD BETWEEN 10TH AND 14TH AUGUST, 2015 AT MICHAEL IMOUDU NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LABOUR STUDIES, ILORIN, KWARA STATE.
 
The National Executive Council (NEC) meeting and Special National delegates' conference (SNDC) of Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) held between 10th and 14th August, 2015 at Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies Ilorin, Kwara State. The conference had in attendance delegates from various parts of the federation and also leaders of Professional groups, which includes president of Nigerian Society of Physiotherapy, representatives of Nigerian Optometric Association and others. The conference noted the following issues:
 
1. STATE OF THE NATION
a. Victims of Insurgency: The conference sympathizes with the victims and families of the internally displaced persons due to book Haram attack and lauds the efforts of the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari  (GCFR) and other bodies in alleviating the pains of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP). The conference noted the plight of the internally displaced persons and urge all our members working in those places to offer special services to the internally displaced persons on compassionate grounds. Our union is ever ready to assist the government where necessary.
 
b. Corruption: The Anticorruption drive of the President Muhammadu Buhari is a welcome development. The union supports the genuine intentions of the Government in recovering the looted funds and in breaking the vicious cycle of corruption that has eaten deep into the fabrics of our economy and our public health sector.
 
c. Security: The conference identifies with the President Muhammadu Buhari's policy on security and gives her maximum support in effort to rid the nation of insecurity constraints.
 
2. ADJUSTED CONHESS SALARY
The conference observed the unjust and undue delay in the implementation of the agreement on the adjusted CONHESS salary structure of the Health Professionals as it was done for Medical Practitioners' CONMESS salary structure. The union therefore demands for immediate release of the relevant circular on adjusted CONHESS and its implementation without further delay for the interest of industrial harmony.
 
3. PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP (PPP)
The National policy on PPP of 2005 as suggested by the Government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR is a round peg in a round hole which was aimed at providing effective, efficient, quality, accessible and affordable health care services. The conference however observed that some Chief Medical Directors (CMDs)/Medical Directors (MDs) are going about the idea of PPP in a manner that negates its primary objectives. The union hereby resolves that the implementation of PPP should not be misconstrued for commercialization or privatization as it is currently practiced but should:
 
i. Rather increase the quality of service without increasing the cost of service
 
ii. Not reduce the work force rather increase it and encourage training of staff for capacity development
 
iii. Not outsource the duty (ies) of Hospital workers to Private bodies
 
iv. Not include introduction of either Private Organization workers or contract staff into the Public Hospitals to take over any of the duties of the Public Hospital workers.
 
v. Include all stakeholders as part of the process and procedures for the planning and implementation.
 
vi. Follow established due process.
 
4. JURISDICTIONAL SCOPE/POACHING OF MEMBERS OF OUR UNION
The conference frowns at poaching of our members by other unions in the health sector. The union hereby appeals to the Registrar of trade unions to look into the issue and invoke relevant sections of the Trade Unions Act to expedite action.
 
5. IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL COURT OF NIGERIA (NICN) RULING
The conference demands that the Federal Ministry of Health and relevant authorities should as a matter of urgency implement the NICN ruling on the following issues:
 
i. Skipping of CONHESS 10
 
ii. Appointment of Health Professionals as Consultants/Payment of Specialists allowance
 
6. IMLPEMENTATION OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTISTS  ENTRY POINT AND UPGRADING THE SCIENTIST IN THE HIGHER CADRE
The conference lauds the release of the circular for the implementation of Medical laboratory Scientists entry point and upgrading of the existing Scientists to higher cadre. The Chief Medical Directors and Medical directors of the Hospitals are enjoined to expedite action on the implementation of this circular for the benefit of our members and maintenance of seniority as this will go a long way to boost their moral.
 
7. ADOPTION OF AMENDED NUAHP'S CONSTITUTION
The conference during its session reviewed and adopted the amended constitution of NUAHP as a working document of the union.
 
8. JOINT HEALTH SECTOR UNIONS (JOHESU)
The union reviewed the operation of JOHESU and Assembly of Health Professional association (AHPA) two coalitions whose formation were initiated by leadership of this union between 2008 and 2010 and the conference resolved that the two bodies have being a blessing to the health sector in Nigeria. The leadership of the two coalitions are therefore called upon to ensure the continued existence of the body while democratically conducted election should take place within the shortest time this year.
 
9. APPLICATION FOR MANDAMUS FOR NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL COURT OF NIGERIA (NICN) OVER EXISTING AGREEMENTS
The conference noted that several agreements, MoU and Court ruling/judgements have been entered in favour of the unions in the health sector between 2006 and 2014 without being implemented by Government. Conference therefore resolved that the leadership of the union should apply to NICN for "MANDAMUS" so as to compel the Federal Government to implement those agreements without further delay.
 
Conference noted that the lopsided Management structure of the health sector in the country which is one of the major causes of incessant strikes in the health industry and therefore calls on the Government to take urgent steps to redress the structural defects as follows:
 
i. Put a stop to the current practice of imposition of University staff as Chief Medical Director, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee and Heads of clinical Departments of our "TEACHING HOSPITALS".
 
ii. Stop the practice of imposing Medical Practitioners as heads of other professional departments such as Medical Laboratory Science, Radiography, Optometry, Clinical psychology etc.
 
iii. Ensure that the position of Chief Executive Officer/CMD of our Tertiary health Institutions is no longer SKEWED in favour of Medical Practitioners but made open to all qualified and competent healthcare professionals.
 
iv. That the constitution/composition of boards of management of our Tertiary health Institutions which hither to  has been  unduly dominated by Medical Practitioners at the expense of all other healthcare professional groups should be reviewed such that no healthcare professional group should have more than 30% of the total membership of any Board and that each Board should have accredited representative of ;
 
a. Assembly of Health Professional associations (AHPA)
 
b. Nigeria Medical association (NMA)
 
c. Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) equitably represented.
 
v. That the senior Health Minister under Muhammadu Buhari's administration should not be from NMA but chosen from JOHESU/AHPA constituency since NMA members have dominated the ministerial slot since the inception of the present democratic dispensation.
 
10. OTHER PENDING ISSUES WITH GOVERNMENT
The conference noted that Federal Government is yet to release its white paper on Yayale Ahmed Committee report of December, 2014, Abdulahi Bello Presidential Committee report on harmony in the health sector 2011, implementation of the National Health act 2014 and others are yet to be acted upon by the Federal Government.
 
In view of the fact the muhammadu Buhari administration is new, we call for speedy action on the part of the new Government. We call on this new administration to take prompt action on these issues to avoid agitations and unpleasant industrial action in view of the fact that these issues have been long overdue even before the exit of Jonathan's administration    
 
11. CONCLUSION
The union acknowledges the willingness and readiness of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in transforming every sector of the country for a better Nigeria and therefore passionately appeals to the president to urgently look into the demands in this communiqué  so as to foster industrial harmony in our battered health sector for the benefit of all Nigerians.
 
Signed                                                                                                                                                        
Com. Dr. Ogbonna