Business activities at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital (FNH), Enugu were brought to a halt by by workers of the hospital who staged a peaceful demonstration giving the government a 21-day ultimatum for an improved welfare, payment of arrears and allowances.

The workers, under the auspices of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), insisted that if the hospital management failed to address their problems within three weeks, they would have no other option than to embark on an industrial action.

They marched through the premises of the hospital and ended up at the administrative block housing the offices of the management board and the Chief Medical Director (CMD).

The protesting health workers marched through the premises of the hospital, singing solidarity songs and carrying several placards with various inscriptions as; “Pay us our teaching allowance”, “Where is our withheld annual increments?”, “Pay our nurses their uniform allowance”. “A cry for help from Ministry of Health and Presidency”, “Pay up our cooperative deductions”, “Give us promotion arrears”, and “Stop all corruption”.

While presenting a written demand of the workers to the chairman of the Board of the Hospital, Chief Acho Nwakamma, the Chairman of JOHESU, FNH chapter, Comrade Ejimadu Alozie, handed down a 21-day ultimatum to the management to fully address/implement their demands, failing which they will embark on a major industrial action.

Comrade Alozie who is also the chairman of NANNM in the state listed the demand of the workers to include; payment of the 2014 and 2015 yearly increment arrears, payment of arrears of teaching allowances with effect from May 2014 till date, payment of 2011, 2012 and 2013 promotion arrears and release of 2014 promotion exercise and payment of arrears amongst other demand.