FG And Doctors Finally Reach Agreement Over Strike

The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Action (MOA) with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to avert the union’s planned nationwide strike.

NAN reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, disclosed this while addressing newsmen at the end of a meeting with NARD on Thursday in Abuja.

NARD had threatened to commence a nationwide strike on April 1, accusing the Federal Government of reneging on the agreements it reached with the union.

The doctors’ grievances consist of the non-charge of salaries of between three to 5 months to some residence officers and the non-recruitment of house officers.

Others are the abolishment of the bench fees for docs present process schooling in other hospitals, and the non-fee of National Minimum Wage and risk allowances to doctors.

Addressing newsmen Ngige said that the deliberations were fruitful and that each one the matters written inside the MoA would be applied.

“Hopefully, with the aid of the following day you will enjoy the charge as agreed here for the second one category of docs, who're an overflow of the quota of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).

“By the time the Chairman of the Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) comes up along with his very last list and harmonise it with that of the MDCN, we would no longer have difficulty anymore over this payment or whether or not some doctors have now not been paid,” he stated.

Ngige noted that timelines had additionally been placed on other problems raised with the aid of the doctors.

He said that both parties could reconvene in a single month’s time for reassessment of the given assignments.

“With this MoA, we hope you (NARD executives) get to your individuals to let them understand higher that authorities has moved proactively to deal with maximum of the issues in advance of your coming.

“We are happy which you recognize and so I come up with assurance that maximum of the things written right here may be achieved.

“We will help the Federal Ministry of Health, the Finance Ministry and the Office of Accountant General of the Federation to ensure that they preserve their own aspect of the good buy,’’ the minister stated.