By Austine Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna
Health workers in Kaduna State welcomed a major breakthrough on Wednesday following Governor Uba Sani’s approval for the implementation of the 2024 Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and hazard allowance, effective September 2025.
The announcement, made by Comrade Ishaku Yakubu, Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Kaduna State chapter, marks the resolution of years of agitation by health professionals in the state.
Yakubu described the approval as a long-awaited victory, noting that health workers had endured prolonged frustration under previous administrations.
“This is commendable and timely. We have been pursuing this struggle for about three to four years, going as far as embarking on warning and indefinite strikes. The approval restores hope to the system,” he said.
He highlighted that Kaduna had long recorded some of the lowest remuneration for health workers in the country, a factor that had prompted many professionals to migrate to neighbouring states, federal institutions, and private facilities.
“With this approval, His Excellency has responded to our appeals. Implementing the 2024 CONHESS and hazard allowance is a huge relief that will enhance morale and productivity,” Yakubu added.
The NANNM chairman also commended the governor’s team, including the Head of Service, Commissioner for Health, Special Adviser on Labour, and the state NLC chairman, for facilitating the approval. He praised union members for their resilience and patience throughout the struggle.
Yakubu assured that health workers would reciprocate the gesture through improved service delivery. “We want to assure the governor that this decision will be met with renewed commitment, efficiency, and productivity. We will support him to succeed,” he said.
Part of the approval also covers recruitment to address manpower shortages. Yakubu explained, “We recommended that when one health worker leaves, two should be employed to replace them. The governor has accepted this, and we expect immediate action to ease the system’s burden.”
He further encouraged the governor to sustain the ongoing renovation of secondary health facilities across the state, stressing the need for proper equipping alongside structural improvements.
However, Yakubu warned that the union would continue to hold the government accountable. “We expect full implementation by the end of September. If it is not done, we will not hesitate to call on the press to report that it has not been implemented,” he cautioned.
