Strike Threat: Minister Begs Resident Doctors

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has appealed to resident doctors to exercise patience, assuring them that their long-awaited allowances will soon hit their accounts.

Salako, who spoke during an interview on Arise Television yesterday, disclosed that the federal government had already processed the funds through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), with disbursement expected to reflect in the doctors’ accounts any moment.

“As early as this evening, the allowances should start dropping. The money has already entered the IPPIS account and is due for disbursement. So, I expect the doctors to receive payment very shortly,” the minister said.

The assurance comes amid mounting tension. The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) issued a fresh 24-hour ultimatum to the government after its 10-day deadline expired on September 10.

Following a six-hour virtual meeting of its National Executive Council on Wednesday, the association resolved to down tools if its demands remained unmet.

While acknowledging that health workers across the country are overworked and under pressure, Dr. Salako stressed that dialogue, not strikes, remained the best path to resolving disputes in the health sector.

“We recognise their grievances and we are engaging with them. Beyond allowances, other demands are also being addressed through ongoing collective bargaining meetings involving doctors, nurses, and other health workers.

“These processes take time, but I can assure Nigerians that the government is committed to finding lasting solutions,” he said.

The minister further noted that although many of the sector‘s challenges, such as inadequate power supply in hospitals, cannot be solved overnight, the government is working to create the right policy environment and leverage public-private partnerships to ease the burden on health facilities.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) may strike nationwide on Friday, December 12, 2025, to press home its demands.

The doctors had issued a 10-day ultimatum to the federal government and relevant authorities, which expired on Wednesday without meaningful action. NARD recalled that in July, it had given a three-week ultimatum but extended it to allow for further dialogue, efforts it said yielded no results.

Although the government met with the doctors on Wednesday and promised to address their grievances, NARD said the assurances were not convincing. After a six-hour emergency deliberation on Wednesday night, the association issued a fresh 24-hour ultimatum, demanding immediate action.

Top among the doctors’ demands are the payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), settlement of five months’ salary arrears from the 25/35 per cent CONMESS review, and other outstanding entitlements.

NARD also raised concerns over the non-payment of the 2024 Accoutrement Allowance, delays in issuing membership certificates by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), and the downgrading of West African postgraduate certificates by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).

At the state level, NARD accused the Kaduna State Government of failing to honour agreements with doctors at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital and the Oyo State Government of neglecting welfare issues at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomosho, where doctors have been on indefinite strike.

The association reiterated its demands, including the immediate disbursement of the 2025 MRTF, settlement of all outstanding salary arrears, payment of the 2024 Accoutrement Allowance, commencement of specialist allowance payments, recognition of West African postgraduate certificates, and urgent resolution of welfare issues in Kaduna and Oyo states.

The doctors may embark on a nationwide strike today as the fresh ultimatum expires this morning.