Resident Doctors Begin 10-day Warning Strike Over Unpaid Allowances, Manpower Shortage

Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, in Ogun State, yesterday declared a 10-day warning strike over the non-payment of revised professional and specialist allowances, acute workforce shortage, delayed release of training funds, and worsening welfare conditions.

This is just as the resident doctors have imposed a N50,000 fine on any of their colleagues found in breach of the association’s directive during the ten-day warning strike.

ARD’s decision to embark on the warning strike was contained in a communiqué issued after the association’s second-quarter ordinary general meeting, held on Monday at the Adebola Adegunwa Hall, OOUTH, Sagamu.

In a communiqué signed by the president of the association, Dr John Omotoso, a copy of which was obtained by LEADERSHIP, ARD said it was deeply concerned about the state government’s failure to implement and pay the revised Professional Allowance and Specialist Allowance, including outstanding arrears.

The association noted that despite the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum earlier issued by the doctors, no Memorandum of Understanding had been signed, and no firm commitment had been received from the Ogun state government regarding payment, implementation, and payment of the revised Professional Allowance and Specialist Allowance, including outstanding arrears.

The communiqué stated that “Congress expressed serious concerns regarding the non-implementation and non-payment of the revised Professional Allowance and Specialist Allowance, including outstanding arrears.

“Congress noted that despite the expiration of the fourteen-day ultimatum, no Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed and no firm commitment to payment has been received from the relevant authorities”.

The doctors also expressed dissatisfaction with the delay in the payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), despite its domestication by the Ogun State Government, coupled with critical workforce shortages resulting in excessive workload, burnout, and prolonged working hours due to inadequate staffing across departments.

Other concerns of the doctors include recurrent security breaches, theft, and burglary within the hospital environment, posing risks to staff and patients; poor state of the rooms and inadequate accommodation facilities for doctors; and persistent poor quality and inadequate provision of call meals for resident doctors.

The association stated further that after extensive deliberation, “the congress unanimously decided to proceed on a 10-day warning strike, demand the immediate payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) and that a revised Professional Allowance and Specialist Allowance be reflected in the July 2026 salary payment”.

The doctors also demanded a comprehensive overhaul of the hospital’s security architecture, including improved lighting, enhancement of perimeter fencing, and other necessary security measures.

Other demands include immediate renovation and upgrading of call rooms and doctors’ accommodation, as well as immediate improvement in the quality and quantity of meals provided to doctors.

The association warned that”any doctor found disobeying the directive of the association during the ten-day warning strike shall pay a fine of ₦ 50,000.”