NARD Faults Federal Government’s N43bn Arrears Claim, Insists Strike Remains Indefinite

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has insisted that its ongoing nationwide strike remained indefinite until the 19-point demands by its members were met.

The association also described the federal government’s claim of N43bn arrears payment as misleading, stating that only a fraction of the funds mentioned actually applied to resident doctors.

Speaking with our correspondent, NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, lamented that out of the association’s 19-point demands, only two – the 25–35 per cent salary review and the accoutrement allowance are being addressed – while “17 remain unresolved.”

“This strike is still indefinite until all our minimum demands are met,” he said.

NARD began its indefinite nationwide strike on Saturday, November 1, 2025, following what it described as the government’s failure to meet its 19-point list of “minimum expectations.” The action has already disrupted services in federal and state-owned hospitals across the country.

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in a statement by its Head of Information and Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, maintained that the government has released substantial funds to address outstanding payments and continues to engage with unions to restore normalcy.

The ministry also disclosed that the government has granted special waivers for the recruitment of 15,000 additional health workers in 2025, following the employment of over 20,000 in 2024, and has engaged a mediator, Prof. Dafe Otobo, to facilitate negotiations.

“In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare commenced the payment of seven months’ arrears of the 25/35 per cent upward review of CONMESS and CONHESS to all categories of health workers with N10 billion paid in August 2025.

“Following the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for these arrears owed to health workers including members of NARD to be paid expeditiously, as of Thursday 30th October, another sum of 21.3 billion naira has been moved to the IPPIS account and payment has commenced.

“In addition, the sum of 11.995 billion is being processed for release within 72 hours to pay other arrears including accoutrement allowance. All these payments are being enjoyed by members of NARD in accordance with the salary structure in the health sector.

“Additionally, the Federal Government has released ₦10.6 billion as at September 2025 as full payment for the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) paid exclusively to resident doctors nationwide,” the ministry explained.

But, reacting to the claims, the NARD president said: “Let me put a few things into perspective. We have salary arrears of two years and allowance arrears of one year. The 25–35 per cent salary arrears started accumulating from June to December 2023. Yet the federal government is calling big numbers and claiming they’ve paid ₦43 billion as if it’s all for doctors, that’s not true,” Suleiman said.

He further clarified that part of the proposed payments, such as the ₦2.9 billion accoutrement allowance, was still under processing by the Ministry of Finance and has not been disbursed. He noted that other funds, including ₦400 million for the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and ₦2.4 billion for consultants’ non-clinical duties, do not concern resident doctors.

Suleiman also faulted the government’s portrayal of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) as a new or special gesture, emphasising that it is a statutory entitlement established by law since 2017.

“Every year, we have to threaten or go on strike before they pay the residency training fund,” he stressed.

Dr. Suleiman, however, commended the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Anite, for their responsiveness.

“I appreciate these two ministers because they acted swiftly when they saw our strike notice. But I also call on officials in the Ministry of Health to come to the table honestly so that this strike can end,” he added.

Among NARD’s ey demands are: “immediate payment of outstanding 25–35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) arrears and the 2024 accoutrement allowance.

“Settlement of all pending financial entitlements owed to health workers, reinstatement of five resident doctors unjustly dismissed from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, along with payment of all outstanding salaries and allowances, implement a humane “working-hours policy” in line with international best practices, to promote both physician well-being and patient safety.

“Granting hospital Chief Executives greater autonomy to hire replacements immediately under the one-for-one replacement policy, upgrading and maintaining medical infrastructure nationwide, and commencing payment of specialist allowances to all doctors.

“Inclusion of medical and dental house officers in the civil service scheme, correction of all entry-level placements for doctors, and decentralisation of promotion processes. The association also demanded payment of all arrears resulting from these corrections, and speedy completion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement Committee’s work on the overdue review of CONMESS and related allowances.”:

While both NARD and the government claim commitment to dialogue, the impasse appears far from over, with NARD maintaining that “the strike remains indefinite until all 19 demands are met.”