The National Association of Resident Doctors, NARDs on Monday issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, saying it would embark on a strike action if its demands were not met.
The union stated that its members in tertiary institutions under the supervision of the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, were being paid “just a fraction of their entitlements while others have been denied salaries for several months.”
It said there was no justification for the civil service rule of “no work, no pay.”
The position of NARD is contained in a communique co-signed by its President, Dr. Muhammad Askira; Secretary-General, Dr. Ibrahim Kuburi and Publicity Secretary, Dr. Uhuaba Ahuruezenma, issued at the end of its Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held on Monday in Abuja.
The association said its demands were the responsibilities of the government which it insisted should be met without the threats of industrial action.
”We implore government to adequately fund hospitals at all levels and upgrade existing facilities in line with international best practices, release and implement residency training guidelines with appropriate budgetary backing, and ensure adequate renumeration of our members.
“NARD will no longer tolerate the undue sacking of resident doctors and demands immediate reversal of such. We also urge government, at all levels, to strictly comply with pension deductions Act as amended (2014).
“In line with the above realities, NARD declares a 21 day ultimatum with effect from April 4, 2016 to press home our demands following which industrial harmony in our various hospitals may not be guaranteed if the existing realities are not resolved,” the communique stated.
NARD expressed displeasure on the stand of the Federal Government concerning strikes in the health sector, and challenged the decision.
“The minister should tell us the penalty of ‘no work and no pay.’ If funds have been released, who are those holding it? If they have not been released, are there justification for bringing in the law? Monumental malpractice, corruption and discrimination in the polity must stop. Anybody that stops us from getting our entitlement is an enemy of this country. Enough is enough,” it stated.
The Federal Government had recently expressed concern over the spate of strike in the health sector at the slightest provocation with a call on on health professionals to desist from such in their own interest.
It warned that any worker who went on strike to enforce his demand should not be paid salaries and allowances within the period of the strike.
“In order to revert to path of decency and discourage impunity, all Chief Executive Officers of agencies and hospitals under the supervision of the Ministry are to strictly, enforce the No Work No Pay Policy as contained in section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act, CAP T8, law of the Federation of Nigeria”, Adewole had stated.
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