THE Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its total and indefinite strike following fresh agreements reached with the Federal Government after several rounds of conciliatory meetings.
In a statement issued Saturday night, November 29, the NARD President, Mohammad Suleiman, said the National Executive Council (NEC) resolved to halt the industrial action for four weeks after both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) detailing the status of the association’s 19-point demands.
The suspension, he stressed, is “an uncommon gesture” to show good faith while monitoring the government’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations.
According to him, although progress has been made, several issues remain at the implementation stage.
These include unresolved promotion and salary arrears, which he said the government had committed to clear within four weeks.
The association also noted that the directive on specialist allowance had been issued.
The long-standing case of the “Lokoja 5” is also expected to be resolved within two weeks following a recommendation for the doctors’ reabsorption into the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.
Suleiman explained that the MoU captured fresh commitments from government on failed payments of the 25/35 per cent allowance and the accoutrement allowance, as well as clear directives resolving the skipping and entry-level controversies.
He noted that matters concerning house officers was also settled, while hospital managements were instructed to stop all “obnoxious clauses” in locum arrangements and to enforce proper rest periods during call duties.
He added that committees set up to review locum policies and work-hour regulations was given two months to produce workable frameworks.
Besides, he said the NEC endorsed the suspension of the strike to give the government time to implement these commitments.
He acknowledged that mistakes were made in the course of the struggle and took responsibility for them, but assured members that NARD would use the four-week window to intensify advocacy and ensure full compliance with the agreement.
“The countdown for the four weeks shall start on Monday (December 1). It shall be a daily reminder to Nigerians and the Federal Government to adequately use this ‘four weeks window’ justly and fully,” he added.
Recall that the association downed tools on Friday, October 31, following the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government over unresolved demands.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M