The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, on Thursday, embarked on a nationwide strike, despite meeting with the Federal Government on Thursday.
The Nigerian government on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Association of Resident Doctors, following their plan to embark on a nationwide strike on the 1st of April, 2021. The agreement was signed after the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige met with the leadership of NARD.
The meeting, which lasted for seven hours, deliberated on the issues raised by the aggrieved doctors in their Notice of Trade Dispute including the non-payment of salaries of some house officers, non-recruitment of house officers, abolishment of the bench fees for doctors undergoing training in other hospitals, non-payment of National Minimum Wage and hazard allowances.
The resident doctors noted that the strike was not meant to hurt Nigerians but to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari whose responsibilities amongst others is to care for Nigerians.
The doctors disclosed this in a statement released on the association’s Twitter handle, @nard_nigeria, on Thursday morning.
The message read, “Nigerians must understand that we love them and the strike is not intended to hurt them but to challenge the Nigerian government @MBuhari @Fmohnigeria @LabourMinNG whose responsibilities amongst others is to care for her citizens and labour force to do the needful.”
The union’s President, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, also confirmed to Channels TV that the strike had commenced by 8 am Thursday.
This is coming days after President Buhari embarked on a medical trip to London, the United Kingdom.
