Health workers across Kaduna State erupted in relief and celebration on Wednesday after Governor Uba Sani approved the implementation of the 2024 Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and hazard allowance. The new pay package takes effect in September 2025 and is expected to significantly improve the welfare of nurses, midwives, and other medical professionals.
The announcement was confirmed during a press briefing in Kaduna by Ishaku Yakubu, chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Kaduna State chapter. Yakubu described the decision as “long overdue,” calling it a major victory for a workforce that has endured years of neglect and broken promises under previous administrations.
“This is quite commendable and timely because it is something we have been struggling to get for about three to four years,” Yakubu said. “At some points, we had to embark on warning strikes and even indefinite strike actions to press home our demands with the past government.”
Union leaders said the new salary structure will not only lift morale among health workers but also enhance service delivery across public hospitals and clinics. Yakubu praised the governor for demonstrating “political will” in addressing long-standing grievances and urged the state to ensure prompt and sustained payment of the allowances.
The move comes after years of tension between Kaduna’s health workforce and the state government. Nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals have repeatedly staged industrial actions over poor welfare conditions, unpaid entitlements, and lack of adequate hazard allowances. During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline staff accused the government of “abandonment” despite the risks they faced treating patients. Several strikes during that period crippled hospitals as workers demanded the implementation of CONHESS and improved hazard pay.
Governor Sani’s decision is widely seen as a policy shift from the confrontational approach of the previous administration, which was marked by strained labour relations and mass dismissals of health workers following strike actions. Analysts say the new policy could help restore trust between the government and medical professionals, reduce the migration of skilled staff to other states or abroad, and strengthen Kaduna’s fragile healthcare system.
By implementing the new salary structure and hazard allowance, the Sani administration has sent a strong signal of commitment to healthcare reform in Kaduna. For many health workers, the decision marks the end of a long battle for recognition and fair compensation—and the beginning of what they hope will be a more stable and productive relationship with the government.