Five unions of Allied Health workers in Nigeria’s health sector have dragged the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and its National President, Dr. Kayode Obembe before the National Industrial Court(NIC) in Ibadan, seeking , among others, perpetual injunction on the NMA members from embarking on any form of industrial action.
They are seeking prayer that be it work to rule or any form of protest that would prevent them from rendering their professional services to the general public.
The unions are,in all, seeking eight reliefs from the court which they have supported with a twenty-three paragraph affidavit.
Other relief being sought by the Allied Health workers from the NIC include a declaration that it is only trade union organizations that can declare trade disputes, down tools embark on strike , work to rule and stage protest, adding that the court should declare as illegal,for the NMA its National President to forcefully eject and drive out patients waiting for treatment in public hospitals.
The unions are insisting that NMA and its National President are not trade union organizations , pleading with the court to declare the last July nationwide strike by NMA members as illegal, unconstitunal
Aside the NMA and its National President, other defendants in the case include Incorporated Trustees of the NMA,Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Registrar, Trade Unions and the Attorney General of the Federation.
The five unions also want the court to declare that the NMA and its National President have no legal right to disrupt the career progression of their members in public hospitals,Federal Medical Centres and health institutions .
The five unions are namely Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria(MHWUN),National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives(NANNM), Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and AssociatedInstitutions(SSATHRIAI),Nigerian Union of Health Professionals(NUAHP) and Non Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions(NASU), have come together under the umbrella of JointHealth Sector. Union(JOHASU).
SSATHRIAI General Secretary, Moshood Oladimeji Akinade,also disposed to a twenty-seven paragraph statement of oath to further establish the unions' case,declaring"Provision of health services in hospitals is a relay race job and failure of one leg of the relay quartet toperform its duties would lead to disastrous end for patients."
When the case came up for mention yesterday,representatives of the five unions and their counsel ,Barrister Ranti Ajeleti and Basirat Adediji were the only ones in in court,prompting the presiding judge, Justice Firstina Iyabode Kola-Olaleye to inquire what prompted the absence of the defendants and their counsels.
Barrister Ajeleti however said both the NMA and its National President, have filed preliminary objection to the unions' case, adding that he had equally served them a counter affidavit to their objection.
He also told the court that counsel to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity had called him to inform him that he had not received necessary correspondence on the case.
On the suggestion of Barrister Ajeleti,the presiding judge fixed November 18 to hear the preliminary objection , directing that all parties in the case should have been served necessary papers before the date.
