Edo State government has condemned the strike embarked upon by the state branch of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) from Friday, October 17, 2025.
In a statement, the state government said “Governor Okpebholo views this action as ill-timed, unpatriotic, and wholly unjustified, especially coming at a time when meaningful negotiations between the union and the government are ongoing.
“It is on record that the leadership of the union has been in constant engagement with the government on their demands, with a meeting already scheduled to continue discussions on Monday.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the issues raised by the union were largely inherited from the past administration of Godwin Obaseki.”
Going further, the statement averted that “Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration has shown genuine commitment to addressing these inherited concerns in a phased, transparent, and responsible manner.
“Among the demands of the union is the renovation of the doctors’ quarters, which is already receiving the attention of the state government, alongside other welfare-related matters.”
The state government expressed its shock and disappointments that the leadership of the union would hastily declare a strike, claiming government insensitivity, when, in fact, the present administration has demonstrated open-mindedness, good faith, and a proactive resolve to improve the health sector.
“This abrupt decision by the union leadership does not only undermine ongoing dialogue but also exposes a lack of sincerity and respect for the negotiation process,” it asserted.
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Finding no merit in the call for strike the government averred that the action appears driven by ulterior motives and extra financial demands known only to a few individuals in the union’s leadership, to the detriment of the general membership.
“Failure to yield to these unlawful financial demands from officials of the state government by a few greedy members of the leadership of the union, birthed this ill-conceived industrial action.
“By dragging innocent and hardworking health workers into this industrial action, the union’s leadership is placing the lives of poor and helpless Edo citizens, especially those in need of urgent medical attention, at grave risk.
“Such actions amount to a betrayal of the noble principles and ethics of the medical profession, particularly the Hippocratic oath, which places the preservation of human life above all else.
“No responsible government can fold its arms while a few individuals hold the lives of its citizens hostage for personal gratification,” the statement concluded.
