Resident Doctors’ Strike Unfortunate, Says Federal Govt

The federal government has described as unfortunate, the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The resident doctors had on Wednesday morning commenced an indefinite strike beginning from 12am over unmet eight-point demands that border on their conditions of service.

Recall that the doctors had on May 17, 2023 embarked on a similar five-day warning strike to press home their demands, which was reported to have hit the rock.

But, reacting to the development on the sidelines of the 6th Registrar of Trade Unions’ National Workshop in Abuja on Wednesday, permanent secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Daju Kachollom, told journalists that the resident doctors ought to have allow ongoing negotiations with the federal government reach agreed conclusion before taking decision on strike.

Kachollom, however, noted that transition into the new government of President Bola Tinubu had delayed the process of negotiations.

“It’s rather unfortunate that NARD is on strike because we have been having consultations since May to be precise on the demands they raised and we have met quite a number of times and government has assured them that the issues raised are being looked into.

“There was a transition and we all know that in a transition there is a process and until the process is completed, there is nothing we can do. Unfortunately, they decided to go on strike, we have actually taken the consultation to the highest level on the issues raised,” she told journalists.

According to her, “The government has assured them and continue to assure them that the demands raised will be looked into.”

Moving forward, she said, “We’re still going to engage them further beyond where we have because we have been engaging and I’m sure the president of NARD cannot say that we have not been engaging, I will just say that they have to believe in what government is doing.”

Meanwhile, the permanent secretary said that the 6th Registrar of Trade Unions’ National Workshop was organised to strengthen the labour administration system in Nigeria.

With the theme, “Repositioning the Labour Administration System for Effective Socio-Economic Development in Nigeria”, she noted that the workshop will equip participants with the knowledge, skills and expertise to efficiently manage trade union affairs, workplace disputes, jurisdictional scope dynamics and unfair labour practices.