One will have expected the drummers of strike actions in all Unions to have waited for ministerial appointment of the new administration to commence work in their various ministry before presenting issue that may warrant strike action if not promptly address. Unfortunately, some unions have began what can only be termed ambush of government all in the name of strike action. The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared a “total and indefinite strike action”.
The association revealed this in a terse statement made available to Channels Television on Tuesday evening.
The resident doctors listed their demands to include the immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF, the immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement, and the payment of skipping arrears.
The list also noted the upward review of CONMESS in line with full salary restoration to the 2014 value of CONMESS, the payment of the arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum to the omitted doctors, and the reversal of the downgrading of the membership certificate by MDCN,
Other demands are the payment of MRTF, new hazard allowance, skipping and implementation of corrected CONMESS in State Tertiary Health Institutions, and the payment of omitted hazard allowance arrears.
The strike comes after the association on July 5 issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government for the implementation of all its demands.
In an attempt to avert the strike, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Monday, held deliberations with the leadership of NARD behind closed doors.
Following the private talks, Abbas promised to meet with President Bola Tinubu to avert the industrial action of the resident doctors and announced the setup of an ad hoc committee to meet with all the stakeholders and address the matter.
The Speaker also appealed to NARD to give the house leadership a two-week period to find solutions to the issues raised.