NMA orders doctors not to join Labour strike

The leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has directed its members not to join in the nationwide industrial action declared by Organised Labour to press home demands for a new minimum wage and revert to electricity tariff of N66kwh.

The NMA gave the directive via a statement issued by its National Secretary General, Dr. Benjamin Egbo, on Monday, June 3, 2024.

The association, however, appealed to the federal government to address the issues raised for the strike to be suspended or called off.

Egbo stated: “Following the recent declaration of nationwide strike action by the Organised Labour, we wishes to state thus:

LP to NLC: Strike’ll raise hardship, N494,000 wage unrealistic

“That though the NMA is not an affiliate of the Organised Labour in Nigeria, we share the pains and hardship Nigerians are currently grappling with.

“The NMA has not declared a strike action, hence doctors will be at their duty posts to attend to clients who desire to make use of health services.

“The NMA uses this avenue to call on government as well as all stakeholders to consider the plight of the average Nigerian and do everything possible to address the issues that have led to the present impasse.”

Banks, public schools, airports, and government offices, among other institutions, were closed in the country on Monday as workers complied with the directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress to commence an indefinite nationwide strike.

NLC had ordered workers to begin an indefinite nationwide strike following the May 31 deadline for the federal government to approve and implement a new minimum wage.

A last-minute intervention on Sunday night by the National Assembly to prevent the nationwide strike was futile as the meeting with the government representatives and labour leaders ended in a deadlock.

The government had insisted on N60,000 as the new minimum wage, while Labour demanded N495,000 as what was acceptable to the unions.

The Star