5 hospitalized as Police fire tear gas at JUTH workers

No fewer than five persons have been admitted at the Jos University Teaching hospital (JUTH) after police released tear gas canisters on protesting workers of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) of JUTH in Jos, Plateau State.

Affected persons include Mathew Nyam, Nakuza Isreal Daniel, Nanlop Audu, Susan Joseph and Juliana Ibrahim.

They were part of workers protesting the non-implementation of the agreement signed by the hospital management in June and the failure of the hospital management to pay their April and May salaries.

The demonstration, however, turned violent when police officers unsuccessfully tried to disperse the workers who had occupied the main entrance of the hospital.

Speaking, JOHESU Chairman in JUTH, Mustapha Kabiru, said, “Only 260 people were paid in April and 270 in May out of 2,024.

“The CMD is saying that he is under the directive of the federal government on no work, no pay but the circular on the police only came on June 22nd, that is after we had called off the strike.”

He accused an officer who led the policemen of giving the order for the use of gas canisters directly on workers.

Kkabiru urged the federal government to shut down the hospital, saying “we cannot guarantee what will happen tomorrow because our people have been molested.”