These demands include: *Immediate release of the circular on adjustment of the Consolidated Health workers Salary Scale (CON-HESS) by the Salaries and Wages Commission. *Full payment of balance of arrears of the skipping of CONHESS 10, which remains outstanding since 2010 in some Federal Health Institu-tions.  Increase in the retirement age of health workers from 60 to 65 years, among others. 

 

President of PSN, Ahmed Yakasai in a statement yes-terday encouraged the Fed-eral Government to sustain the lofty ideals of the intervention championed by the late Minister of State for Labour and Productivity James Ocholi, who calmed frayed nerves within the ranks of the various health sector unions and health professional associations that had threatened to go on strike in February. 

 

Yakasai said while PSN agrees the strike option should always be the last option, it is imperative the society also appeals to the Federal Government to un- derstand the plight of ag-grieved health workers who also want reward for labour and have patiently endured in long suffering. 

 

The PSN called on all the appendages of government including the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Head of Service of the Federation, Budget Office, Federal Min-istry of Health, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productiv y and all others involved in negotiations with JOHESU/AHPA no to allow a breakdown in negoti-ations as everything humanly possible must be done to avert another strike of health workers which can only hurt our economy as well as inflicting morbid-ity on the generality of our people. 

 

Chairman, JOHESU, Shaba Johnson Adetokunbo ex-plained that the leadership of JOHESU has met with the Ministry of Labour but the meeting ended in deadlock.