Resident Doctors Fault Federal Govt, Insist On January 12 Strike

Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has ordered its members in 91 federal and state tertiary hospitals nationwide to commence an indefinite withdrawal of services from 12:00 a.m. on Monday, January 12, 2026.

The order followed what it described as the federal government’s continued failure to implement agreements reached with the association.

NARD president, Dr Mohammad Suleiman, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja, after the association’s Extraordinary National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting held on January 2, 2026, to review the status of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

He said the association had no choice but to resume the earlier suspended Total, Comprehensive and Indefinite Strike (TICS) due to the stalled implementation of critical welfare and remuneration issues affecting resident doctors nationwide.

He faulted claims by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Adekunle Salako, that NARD’s demands had been reduced from 19 to nine, stating that the association only compressed its demands “to simplify communication with Nigerians,” stressing that “if you x-ray those nine, they are actually 16 items.”

NARD also rejected the ministry’s decision to redeploy the five resident doctors who were disengaged from the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Lokoja, insisting on their immediate and unconditional reinstatement, in line with the recommendations of an investigative committee.

Suleiman expressed displeasure over comments credited to the Minister of State for Health, who stated during a TV appearance that the collective bargaining process had been suspended.

He accused the ministry of employing delay tactics aimed at preventing doctors from negotiating improved welfare for the next year.

He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene urgently, stating that the impasse requires a “genuine commitment” from the government.

The NARD president listed several unresolved issues, including:

Persistent delay in transmitting promotion arrears to the Budget Office and the Ministry of Finance for payment.

Delay in processing salary arrears owed to resident doctors in several institutions, failure of IPPIS to reconcile and pay arrears related to the 25/35 per cent CONMESS review and accoutrement allowance affecting about 40 per cent of members.

Others include non-payment of outstanding House Officers’ salary arrears, as well as the delay in issuing a formal pay advisory by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).

Reversal of the re-categorisation of MDCN membership certificates and prompt issuance of certificates after Part I examinations by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN).

NARD also demands payment of accumulated salary and allowance arrears in institutions such as BSUTH, KSSH, DELSUTH, FMC Owo, UUTH, OAUTHC, UITH, and FUHSTH Otukpo.

Suleiman also emphasised the urgent need for the government to address the deteriorating infrastructure and outdated equipment in tertiary hospitals, warning that continued neglect threatens the stability of Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare system.

He emphasised that the strike will continue indefinitely until the Federal Government and affected states show “clear, concrete, and measurable commitment” to fulfilling the agreements freely entered into.