FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THREATENS STRIKING RESIDENT DOCTORS WITH, NO WORK, NO PAY POLICY

The Federal government has threatened to enforce, no work, no pay policy for the number of days the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors’, NARD embarked on their recent seven-day warning strike, in line with extant labour laws, amid government’s concerted efforts to resolve its concerns and ensure continued industrial harmony.

A statement by the spokesperson, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ado Bako, remarked that the policy is not intended to undermine the legitimate concerns of medical  practitioners, instead to ensure that essential healthcare services are not excessively disrupted to the detriment of the public. 

 Bako said over the past months, the ministry, in collaboration with relevant security agencies has been working to rescue their kidnapped colleague, Ganiyat Popoola, adding that concrete discussions and coordinated efforts are currently underway.

 Recall that the members of the association began a seven-day warning strike on Monday to demand for the rescue of a Kaduna-based doctor, Ganiyat Popoola who was kidnapped in December, 2023 and has now spent about nine months in the kidnappers’ den.