Key Facts
- Meeting duration
- Three hours
- Meeting venue
- Presidential Villa
- Chief of Staff
- Femi Gbajabiamila
- NARD President
- Dr Muhammad Suleiman
- Planned strike date
- August 10
- Assaults on health workers
- 31 doctors and more than 20 other health workers in past 10 months
Background
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had threatened a nationwide indefinite strike from August 10 if the Federal Government failed to address outstanding salary arrears, welfare concerns, and other longstanding issues. The decision was announced in a communiqué after its National Executive Council met in Gombe State, where it reviewed the implementation of previous agreements.
NARD represents doctors undergoing specialist training in Nigeria’s teaching and specialist hospitals. The proposed strike was set to commence at 8 a.m. on August 10 unless demands were met before the deadline.
Current Situation
On Tuesday evening, a three-hour meeting was held at the Presidential Villa between NARD leadership and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. The meeting also included the Ministers of Labour, Health, and Finance, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and officials responsible for cash management and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.
NARD President Dr Muhammad Suleiman said the delegation and the Federal Government agreed to specific timelines for resolving outstanding salary, promotion, and allowance disputes. He said firm commitments were secured on nearly every outstanding issue, though he stopped short of formally announcing the suspension of the planned strike, pending consultation with the association’s National Executive Council.
A source with knowledge of the meeting told our correspondent that NARD leadership had already privately assured Gbajabiamila that the planned strike would be called off. The Chief of Staff reportedly insisted on an immediate resolution, saying, 'Don’t tell me you’re going back to your people to consult. That’s why I invited all of you to come here (State House), so you can decide here.'
| Issue | Agreed Action |
|---|---|
| Salary and promotion disputes | Specific timelines agreed |
| House officers' salaries | Standing order: paid before 10th of every month |
| Meal issue at LUTH | Implementation within a week |
| Collective Bargaining Agreement | Ministries of Labour and Health to accelerate completion |
| Violence against health workers | Ministry of Health to release security directives and public education |
| Assault legislation | Chief of Staff to introduce legislation for aggravated offence |
| Hazard and specialist allowance arrears | Budget Office to provide firm payment timeline |
Impacts
If the strike is formally called off, patients in Nigeria’s teaching and specialist hospitals would avoid disruption to care. NARD members, who are resident doctors, would continue their training and duties without interruption.
The agreement includes a standing order that house officers’ salaries be paid before the 10th of every month, addressing delayed salaries for junior doctors in their mandatory one-year internship. The Ministry of Health is also expected to release directives to hospitals to beef up security and create safe spaces, following reports of violence against health workers.
The Presidency has charged the Ministries of Labour and Health to accelerate the completion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between NARD and the Federal Government, so that agreed terms can be captured in next year’s budget cycle. The Chief of Staff has also taken it upon himself to introduce legislation to make assaulting health workers an aggravated offence.
Future Outlook
Scenario analysis: The possibilities below are not certain predictions.
NARD’s National Executive Council is expected to meet to formally decide on the strike suspension. If they accept the commitments, the planned strike from August 10 may be called off. If they find the timelines insufficient, the strike could still proceed.
The Budget Office is expected to provide a firm payment timeline for the outstanding hazard and specialist allowance arrears. If the timeline is credible, the dispute may be resolved; if not, further industrial action could occur.
The legislative reform on assaulting health workers, if passed, could deter future attacks. However, its progress through the National Assembly remains to be seen.
Source: punchng.com
