NARD president calls for sacking of Ngige, Ehanire over doctors’ strike

Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, president of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), has called for the sacking of those who are behind the ongoing strike by resident doctors in the country.

The NARD president said Chris Ngige, minister of labour, Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, and Tajudeen Sanusi, registrar of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), should be sacked if they cannot handle their responsibilities.

On August 2, resident doctors commenced a nationwide strike over irregular payment of salaries, hazard allowances among other issues.

Speaking on the development, Ngige said the federal government will invoke the no-work and no-pay order against the resident doctors because the federal government has met their demands.

Reacting to the labour minister’s comment in an interview with Channels Television on Sunday, NARD president said the association cannot be bullied by the minister, adding that those who are the cause of the strike should resign or be sacked since they cannot handle their responsibilities.

Okhuaihesuyi tackled Ngige for issuing threats of replacement against the resident doctors on national television when their demands raised have not been met.

“If you want to toe the line of no work, no pay, I think you will go and look for 16,000 resident doctors to occupy our place,” he said.

“I also want to ask Nigerians to ask them and tell them that those who are the cause of the strike that they have not done their work should rather resign or be sacked from the position they hold. Because if you cannot deliver you have no responsibility being there.”

Asked who are the people that caused the strike, he said: “The ministry of health, the ministry of labour (referring to the ministers), the MDCN registrar, Sanusi, they are the ones to be held responsible for the strike we are on.”

“Something needs to be done to them. If they can do that to them. They can implement no work, no pay policy. We’ll take it that way. In equity, you come with clean hands.”

Asked if the association will suspend its strike, he said, “We are not. We are resolute and members of the National Association of Resident Doctors want to stay on this till we achieve something.

“Something, meaning that, if we can change the narrative of the health sector.”