Strike: Resident doctors give FG four weeks to ‘resolve all pending issues’

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has given the federal government four weeks to resolve all the “pending issues” involving the union.

The doctors had embarked on a strike on April 1 to protest the failure of the government to fulfil an agreement signed with the union.

NARD later suspended the strike on April 10, following the signing of a new agreement with the government, concerning issues raised in a 13-point demand.

Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, president of the association, said the national executive council (NEC) of the association has given the government four weeks to meet all the demands.

Okhuaihesuyi said the government needs to be “more serious” in its promise of paying the “desired” hazard allowances to its members.

“The NEC unanimously resolved that the total and indefinite strike embarked upon by members on the 1st of April 2021 should remain suspended and the federal government and states be given four weeks to resolve all pending issues as stated,” he said.

“NEC urges the federal government to be more serious by coming up with the desired amount of hazard allowance in the upcoming meeting in the 6th of July.

“All salary shortfalls and minimum wage consequential adjustment areas must be paid to all affected members. The NEC demands that all the state governors yet to adopt the minimum wage adjusted in 2021 should do so a matter of urgency.

“All state governors yet to domesticate the presidential training fund act should immediately do so in order to maintain industrial harmony with our members under their employees.”