Ngige Meets With Striking Doctors, Strike To Be Suspended

By Ayodele Oni

Resident doctors, who are on warning strike and the Federal Government have reached an agreement over planned total strike billed to commence after the five-day warning strike embarked upon by the Association.

This was made known in a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, who said a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed at the end of a conciliation meeting convened by the minister, Dr Chris Ngige in his office.

The statement reads “The Federal Government has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), geared towards halting the five-day nationwide warning strike of resident doctors.

“In conclusion, the meeting agreed that NARD officers are to present the outcome of the MOU to their members in an emergency meeting within 48 hours with a view to suspending the strike they embarked on last Wednesday, May 17, 2023.

On the issue of doctors omitted in the payment of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment, the meeting resolved that NARD should re-present the list on Monday, May 22 to the Ministry of Health, with annexes of the old submission and same copied to the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had embarked on a five-day warning strike to press home its demands after a 14-day ultimatum to the government lapsed on May 17.

The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 percent of their current gross salaries.

Worried by the situation, the doctors met with the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Health and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, on Friday to deliberate on their demands.