The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected a circular issued by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on the implementation of a “No Work, No Pay” policy, which directed the stoppage of salaries of members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), effective January 2026.
The circular, signed by the Director of Hospital Services at the ministry, Dr. Abisola Adegoke, was issued amid the continuation of the JOHESU strike, which began on 15 November 2025. It instructed the enforcement of the policy and suspension of salaries of affected workers.
In a statement released on Wednesday, jointly signed by TUC President Festus Osifo and Secretary-General N.A. Toro, the congress described the directive as unacceptable and accused the ministry of acting unilaterally, undermining ongoing negotiations between the government and health sector unions.
The TUC argued that the salary stoppage violates industrial relations principles and would exacerbate the hardships faced by health workers amid rising inflation, fuel price hikes, and broader economic challenges.
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The statement reads in part: “You cannot negotiate with workers on one hand and unleash punishment with the other. This circular is not policy; it is intimidation, and Congress will not accept it. The stoppage of salaries of JOHESU members, workers who daily save lives, is wicked, insensitive, provocative, and profoundly unpatriotic.”
The congress also warned against the use of IPPIS to penalise workers, describing it as an abuse of state machinery. It demanded the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the circular, restoration of all affected salaries, and a return to negotiations within seven days.
The TUC further placed its affiliates, state councils, and the Federal Capital Territory council on alert, directing them to remain on standby for further instructions. The union warned that any industrial tension or nationwide action resulting from the ministry’s directive would rest solely on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.