LAUTECH Nurses And Midwives Begin Indefinite Strike Over Wage Dispute

Nurses and midwives at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, have walked out of duty, beginning an indefinite strike over unpaid entitlements and the non-implementation of the new national minimum wage.

The action followed the expiration of a 15-day notice earlier issued to the hospital management.

The strike was confirmed in a statement by leaders of the hospital’s unit of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives. The group said its members had been left behind compared to colleagues in other state hospitals where improved welfare packages had already been introduced.

The workers are demanding the full implementation of the minimum wage with backdated adjustments from January 2025. They are also asking for payment of promotion arrears covering 2018 to 2024, recruitment of more nurses to ease shortages, and renovation of nurses’ stations and restrooms, which they described as neglected.

The union explained that the delay in addressing these issues has led to financial strain, poor morale, and a steady loss of experienced staff. The situation, it warned, has weakened service delivery in the hospital.

The strike comes at a critical moment as LAUTECH Teaching Hospital remains the only state-owned tertiary health centre in Oyo. It serves as a referral point for patients not only from the state but also from Osun, Kwara, and surrounding communities. The walkout threatens access to care for thousands, including expectant mothers, children, accident victims, and other emergency cases.

The association called on Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene quickly, stressing that fairness in workers’ welfare is essential to keeping the health system stable. Until their concerns are addressed, the nurses and midwives say they will not return to duty.

The development adds to unrest already spreading across Nigeria’s health sector. Just days earlier, resident doctors in the Federal Capital Territory suspended a strike after Senate intervention, though many of their grievances on pay and working conditions remain unsettled.