- FG says Strike Unnecessary
A five-day warning strike to begin on Wednesday and end on Monday has been announced by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The industrial action was allegedly precipitated by the reported failure of the Federal Government to meet the demands of the doctors.
An authoritative source told The New Diplomat that the decision to down tool was taken after the doctors’ extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held virtually on Monday.
The National President of NARD, Dr Emeka Orji, who confirmed the planned strike, promised to organize a press conference on Tuesday, May 16, and make a press release available to journalists.
The resident doctors have been at loggerheads with the Federal Government over poor remuneration, and better welfare for their members among other concerns.
They are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salary of doctors, and the new allowances included in a letter written by the association to the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, on July 7, 2022, on the review of CONMESS.
On April 29, the association issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to implement the agreements or face industrial action.
Strike Unnecessary – FG
The Federal Government however said that the planned industrial action by the aggrieved resident doctors, was unnecessary.
Briefing journalists in Abuja after a special Federal Executive Council meeting, the Labour Minister, Dr Chris Ngige said the parent body of the association – the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) – is already engaging with relevant government agencies on the issue.
“On the demand for 200 per cent salary increase, the NMA is the father of all doctors in Nigeria and they have about four or five affiliates of which the resident doctors is an association affiliating there,” he stated.
“You have the Medical and Dental Consultants Association (MEDIAN), they are the consultants who are training these medical doctors to become specialists. You also have a general medical practitioners association and you also have doctors working in the private sector.
So, NMA is the father of all, including me. So, NMA is discussing with the Federal Ministry of Health, Salaries Income and Wages Commission, and the Ministry of Labour and we know that NMA has accepted a salary increase between 25 and 30 per cent across the board for their members.
“So, I don’t know the logic by which people who are members of NMA are now coming up to say pay us 200 per cent increase. I don’t understand it.”
The minister said he had called the NMA President to contact them because the government deals with that association on issues of remuneration negotiation, reiterating that any strike now is unnecessary.
