Members of the Ogun State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) have decided to suspend their ongoing strike for four weeks to allow for peaceful negotiations with the state government.

The decision came after an emergency general meeting held to address the public hardship caused by the strike, which had disrupted services at state government healthcare facilities.
The association has directed its members to resume work at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, September 2, 2024.

The strike, which has been in effect for 25 days, aims to achieve wage parity between Ogun State healthcare institutions and their federal counterparts, and to improve overall member welfare.

During a press conference held at the association’s state secretariat in Abeokuta, the chairman, Dr. OgunJimi Luqman, explained that the emergency general meeting took place on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, to discuss the ongoing industrial disputes.

“The congress went on recess and reconvened on Thursday, August 29, 2024. The meeting’s purpose was to evaluate the situation, review the progress of the strike, present a comprehensive report on our engagement with the Ogun State government, and decide on the future of the strike action,” he said.

Dr. Luqman noted that the strike was initiated in response to the Ogun State government’s failure to implement the reviewed CONMESS wage scale, which was adopted by federal counterparts in June 2023.
Despite ongoing efforts by the Nigerian Medical Association executives, the issue remains unresolved. The Congress recognized the hardships inflicted on the people of Ogun State due to the government’s inaction.

The association is urging the state government to meet its demands during the four-week suspension period to prevent further industrial disputes.
The association plans to reconvene on September 30, 2024, to assess the situation, with no guarantee of continued industrial harmony if their demands remain unmet.