Health Workers Shut Down DELSU Teaching Hospital, Oghara, Over Unpaid Peculiar, Special Allowances

By Wealth Gabriel

Clinical services at the Delta State Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, Oghara, Ethiope West Local Area of the state, have been paralysed following an indefinite strike declared by two major unions over the state government’s alleged failure to pay peculiar and special allowances.

The strike, which began on Friday, September 11, 2026, was declared by the Senior Staff Association of University Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutions and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) and the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), both DELSU Oghara chapters. Patients have been left stranded as the unions vowed not to attend to them until their demands are met.

At the heart of the industrial action is the non-implementation of a committee report on the cost implications of three allowances: the Peculiar Allowance, a revised allowance for health workers, and a Special Allowance for workers yet to benefit from the governor’s recent approval for health workers.

According to the unions, the committee, set up by the Honourable Commissioner of Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, reviewed and validated their demands, and the commissioner accepted its report. The workers say the government has simply refused to pay despite that acceptance.

Addressing journalists in Oghara, the Chairman of SSAUTHRIAI, DELSUTH Chapter, Comrade Jude Arhoja, said the strike became unavoidable after months of fruitless negotiations.

Arhoja said, “When we started negotiating, we had three demands. One was federal, but the Peculiar Allowance and the Special Allowance were accepted. We travelled from here to Asaba several times. We were part of the committee that produced the report. It’s just for the government to pay us, but I don’t know where they are refusing to pay us. What is right in our hands is our dues. We have worked for it. It’s our money. Our counterparts have been paid. We are the only people left out, and we have been on this since February.”

Arhoja said the document bearing the signatures of both the state government and labour leaders was available, insisting the workers were only demanding what was duly agreed.

“We are not interested in making trouble. Senior staff do not misbehave. That is our quality. But if we are paid today, by the next minute, we will start work,” he added, appealing to the government to “come and pay us our due entitlement.” He expressed regret over the suffering of patients, saying the union did everything possible to avoid a disruption of services.

In his remarks, the State Council Chairman of NUAHP, Comrade Orowaino Charles Samuel, said the union’s members, including pharmacists, physiotherapists, laboratory scientists, radiographers and optometrists, had exhausted all avenues for an amicable resolution.

“We have been travelling to Asaba since the 1st of February to amicably resolve these issues. After so much time, we finally came with the documents,” he said.

According to him, the committee’s report was titled: “Committee Report to Work Out the Cost Implications for the Implementation of 16 Months-Areas of Peculiar Allowance, Revised Allowance for Health Workers, and Special Allowance for Workers Yet to Be Covered by the Recent Approval of His Excellency the Governor for Health Workers.”

He noted that the heading was designed by the Honourable Commissioner of Health himself, and that the report was accepted after the committee agreed with the unions’ demands. “So we are drawing His Excellency’s attention that the Honourable Commissioner, by virtue of his refusal to comply with this committee report, has led us to declare an indefinite strike,” he said.

Comrade Samuel alleged a disparity in the implementation of allowances, noting that the same peculiar allowance was paid to medical doctors — including a professional allowance of N200,000 each — while allied health professionals were told they were not qualified.

“Why is it that our own is different? Must we come out to strike to demand our money? In other administrations, when the circular comes, it is implemented for everybody. That is why, if you check the history of strikes in Delta State, you will not see SSAUTHRIAI and NUAHP. Now there is a dichotomy. The circular is implemented for some people, and others are told they are not qualified. But we are qualified for it. We cannot work for nothing,” he said.

Both union leaders called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to intervene and direct the Honourable Commissioner to pay the workers. “We are appealing to His Excellency: he should come to our aid and cause the Honourable Commissioner to pay us our money. It’s our sweat. He has to pay us. And until he pays us, we will remain on strike,” Comrade Samuel said.

The unions also expressed unhappiness over the suffering of patients, saying they were not oblivious to the impact of the strike on healthcare delivery in the state. The workers are demanding payment of the Peculiar Allowance as agreed between the state government and labour leaders, a revised allowance for health workers, a Special Allowance for workers yet to be covered by the governor’s recent approval for health workers, and implementation of the accepted committee report without further delay.

As the strike enters its second day, hospital activities remain grounded, with patients and their families bearing the brunt. It is now left to the Delta State government to either meet the workers’ demands or face a prolonged shutdown of one of the state’s foremost teaching hospitals.

About The Author