Resident Doctors suspend 64-day strike for 6 weeks

Sixty-four days after it embarked on nationwide industrial action, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), on Monday, suspended the strike for six weeks.

The suspension was to give the Federal Government time to implement its demands.

Some of the demands are: (A.) Continuous processing and payment of the ongoing 2021 MRTF while ensuring that provision for 2022 is adequately captured in the

2022 budget; (B.) Commencement of the process of withdrawing the court case against NARD as agreed, as a sign of goodwill; and (C.) Commencement of the process of payment of the salary arrears of members just migrated to IPPIS from GIFMIS platform.

The NEC also urged state governments to urgently pay arrears of salaries and allowances owed to NARD members in their various state tertiary health institutions.

The NEC urged the state governments to ensure domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act (MRIA) in their State Tertiary Health Institutions as done in Delta and Benue states.

The decision to suspend the strike was communicated in a communique signed by the President, Dr. Godiya Ishaya and Secretary General of NARD, Dr. Suleiman Ismail on Monday in Abuja.

The duo noted that the decision was reached at the end of its Emergency National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting, which had all the 79 chapters of the association from the State and Federal Tertiary Health Institutions in attendance.

“After critical appraisal of the performances of both federal and state governments on all the issues that led to the ongoing strike as stated above, progress made in implementing previous agreements reached with the Federal Government, the interventions of His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Vice President… and well-meaning Nigerians and Governments’ show of goodwill to return to negotiation table, NEC resolved by the votes of a simple majority, to suspend the total and indefinite strike action embarked upon on 2nd August 2021. Therefore, our members will resume full work on Wednesday 6th October 2021 by 8a.m.,” the doctors said.

The NEC commended the federal government’s willingness to withdraw the case against NARD at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) and return to negotiation table in the interest of peace in the health sector.

The NEC also noted the willingness of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to withdraw the circular removing House Officers from the scheme of service, and also acknowledged the explanatory circular from Salaries, Income and Wages Commission in that regard.

The NEC observed with great concern the conditions of members in various state government employments, especially Abia, Imo, Ekiti and Ondo State Governments who are currently owed 21 months, six months, five months and three months of salary arrears respectively.

The National President said that the association reviewed its position due to the commitment the government is showing in implementing its demands.

He said that if the government meets all demands within six weeks, the association will review the suspension and end the strike.

“We did not call off the strike but suspended it for six weeks to give room for the government to do the needful.

“If the government does what is required of it, we will review the suspension in six weeks and decide on what steps to take next.

“The agreement between NARD and the FG was signed early this year, it is the issue of implementation that led us to the strike.

“We agreed to suspend the strike because we saw that the government was beginning to show commitment,” Ishaya said.