Workers of the Na­tional Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), under the aegis of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), have suspended their strike and will be returning to work Monday, December 1, after a long deliberation with the Federal Ministry of Health.

Briefing newsmen yester­day at NAFDAC office, La­gos, Chairman, MHWUN, Federal Area Council, Com­rade Stephen Ibeh, said the union took the decision at the end of the meeting which took place at the of­fice of the Ministry of La­bour, Abuja, Tuesday, fol­lowing an agreement with Federal Government to look into the salary structure.

The meeting had in atten­dant delegates from MH­WUN, Salary and Wages Commission, Ministry of Health, among others.

According to him, a com­mittee of three delegates has been sent to look into the Consolidated Research In­stitute (CONRISS) and the Consolidated Health Sal­ary Structure (CONHESS) salary structures and the committee has ten days to develop a befitting sal­ary structure for NAFDAC workers.

“After relaying our griev­ances to government, after much deliberation, it was obvious the union was not making unnecessary noise. The forum sympathised with the workers and have set up a three-man delegate to look into the salary struc­ture,” he said.

Apologising to Nigerians for the strike, Ibe explained that the union was pushed to the wall, hence the deci­sion, saying, “We are ap­pealing to all well-meaning Nigerians to please bear with us. Considering that NAFDAC safeguards the health of the nation, we know that some of the en­emies of this country must be doing all sorts of havoc already.”

He called on government to live up to its promise of providing a befitting salary structure at the end of ten days, warning, “If govern­ment relents in its effort to fulfil the salary structure as promised, we will not hesi­tate to go back to strike.”

•Source: Newswatch Times. Photo shows NAFDAC DG, Dr. Paul Orhi.