National Association of Resident Doctors
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has call off the indefinite strike which commenced on June 15.
The Association President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, announced this while addressing a news conference on Sunday in Abuja after their meeting with Nigerian Governor’s Forum in Abuja.
In his words; “NEC has resolved to suspend the ongoing indefinite strike with effect from Monday June 22, 2020 by 8a.m., prompt.
“The national officers shall continue negotiations with stakeholders and progress made shall be reviewed in four weeks during the next National Executive Council meeting in July 2020.
“The decision to suspend the strike was taken in order to give the Federal and State Governments time to fulfill the outstanding demands following an appeal by the Speaker of House of Representative, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chairman Nigeria Governors Forum and other stakeholder,” Solomba added.
Earlier, the Nigerian government in a move to placate the doctors on Friday, June 19, released N4.5 billion to 31 federal teaching and medical centres across the country, following the ongoing strike embarked on by the residents doctors.
This was revealed by Dr. Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, while briefing State House correspondents after a meeting with
President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.
The money which was released in the early hours of Friday is payment for hazard and inducement allowances for the month of April and May.
The Nigerian Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, had also appealed to the striking doctors to call off their strike action.
Ehanire who made the appeal while speaking on Channels Television breakfast show, Sunrise Daily, on Friday, June 19, said the present government will unfailingly fulfil its promises to health workers.
The minister who said this in reaction to claims that the government has not kept to its promises; assured that the Buhari-led government has a track record of being sympathetic and keeping its promises.
Dr. Ehanire assured doctors that this administration led by Buhari is the most sincere and serious government Nigeria has ever had.
