INDUSTRIAL ACTION: The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have explained why their ultimatum to the Federal Government, which was supposed to prelude a strike action by the union has been extended by two weeks.
BASIC FACTS
- It looks a season of strike actions in Nigeria and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors are also threatening to embark on one.
- Following the Federal Government repeated failure to implement agreements it voluntarily entered with the doctors they issue two weeks ultimatum before striking.
- This two weeks which has since expired has now been officially extended for another two weeks, and they have giving reasons for the decision.
WHAT WE KNOW
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors have made a decision to extend the ultimatum it issued to the Federal Government by two weeks.
According to NARD, it extended the ultimatum in a bid to give room for intervention by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
This decision was reached during the scheduled extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State, which lasted Saturday night.
Clariform recalls that resident doctors had, on July 30, 2022, issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to implement all the agreements it had with the association or it would embark on an indefinite strike.
Payment of the newly-reviewed Medical Residency Training Fund, the immediate implementation and payment of the new hazard allowance and arrears among several others were part of NARD’s demand.
The two weeks ultimatum had since expired but the association had at the expiration of the ultimatum on August 14, shifted its decision until after the extraordinary NEC meeting of the professional body.
NOTABLE QUOTE
NARD President, Dr. Dare Ishaya on Sunday said:
“The extraordinary NEC resolved that since the Ministry of Health through the Minister of State for Health, Ekumankama Joseph Nkama, has communicated to the Ministry of Finance to release the funds for the payment of the new hazard allowance and the Medical Residency Training Fund, we should give two more weeks to observe and see the rate at which our issues will receive the attention of the authorities concerned.”
“After then, we will now make a comprehensive decision. So we are extending our ultimatum by two weeks.”
“The other issues raised are still there but we have seen some moves towards resolving them and we want to give more time to see how it turns with the help of the Minister of State for Health and Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, so we want to give them more time to intervene.”
FLASHBACK
Clariform Newsdesk reports that university workers` unions, which includes the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU) have been on strike leading to the crippling of Nigerian public university system for about Six weeks.
However, the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU) las week announced they have pulled out of the ongoing strike embarked upon with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) after getting an assurance from the Federal Government that their demands will be addressed.
Consequently, according to the two unions, their withdrawal from the strike will take effect from Wednesday, August 24th to allow their members that have left the school campus resume work unanimously.
NEWS ANALYSIS
In the light of the development in the disagreements between the resident doctors and the federal government, there is certainly a reason to celebrate in the country.
This is especially when you consider the state of healthcare in Nigeria, which is nothing close to celebration, and certainly not a thing of pride for Nigerians who are in desperate for improved healthcare system.
Avoiding another protracted trike action in the health sector or even any length of industrial action at all, as the brief one experienced with the electricity workers recently, is no doubt a thing of joy.
A sincere opportunity to discuss and resolve differences and urgent move to nip such legitimate industrial action by workers, just as the relevant Ministries at the federal level have done is commendable.
The positive and complimentary response by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors is also most commendable. It goes to demonstrate that strike action by the workers are never something to embrace with joy.
It shows without doubt that embarking on strike obviously a last resort and only an instrument employed by the workers to drive home their demands only when and if the need arises.
