Benin City, October 17, 2025 — Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has condemned the decision of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Edo State Council, to embark on a seven-day warning strike, describing the action as ill-timed, unpatriotic, and unjustified.
The governor’s reaction was contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, on Saturday, October 17, 2025.
According to the statement, the union’s decision to proceed on strike came as a surprise to the government, especially as negotiations between both parties were still ongoing, with another meeting already scheduled for Monday.
Governor Okpebholo noted that most of the issues raised by the union were inherited from the previous administration of Godwin Obaseki. He, however, maintained that his government had shown “genuine commitment” to addressing the concerns in a phased and transparent manner.
Among the demands of the union, the statement said, is the renovation of doctors’ quarters, which the government has already begun addressing alongside other welfare-related issues.
“It is shocking and disappointing 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,” the statement read in part.
Governor Okpebholo further alleged that the strike action may have been influenced by “ulterior motives and extra financial demands known only to a few individuals in the union’s leadership.”
“The failure of some government officials to yield to these unlawful financial demands by a few greedy members of the union’s leadership birthed this ill-conceived industrial action,” the statement alleged.
The governor lamented that the decision to proceed on strike could endanger the lives of citizens in need of urgent medical attention, describing it as a “betrayal of the noble principles and ethics of the medical profession.”
He urged health workers in the state to disregard the strike directive and continue providing essential services, assuring that his administration remains committed to dialogue and partnership with all stakeholders in the health sector.
Governor Okpebholo reiterated his administration’s determination to build a “fair, functional, and people-oriented health system” for all Edo citizens.
