FG Faults NMA’s Position On Resident Doctors Strike, Rejects Ultimatum

The federal government, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment has faulted the 21-day ultimatum it received from the Nigeria Medical Association, stating that it is in direct collision with the Memorandum of Understanding signed on August 21, 2021.

Recall the NMA had put the federal government on a 21-day notice to fully resolve all the issues contained in the various agreements signed with affiliate members of the Nigerian Medical Association, including MDCAN, MEDSABAMS and NARD.

The Association had said that in the event that the Federal Government fails to implement the agreements after the expiration of the 21- day notice, the NMA will summon an emergency delegate meeting to review the progress made on the implementation of the agreements.

However, the government in a statement by the spokesman of the ministry, Charles Akpan, on Sunday accused the Association of ignoring its signed agreements while the government is religiously implementing its own side of the agreement, with effective monitoring by the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment.

It said, “First is that the NMA communique in Benin which issued a 21-day ultimatum is at variance with the timeline in article II, Vii, Vii and X of the MOA.

“Importantly, article II on payment of the outstanding hazard allowance from the 2020 Medical Residency Training Fund states that the fund will be paid after verification and reconciliation of figures from the BOF.

“Till now, Both NARD/ Postgraduate Medical College are yet to submit the validated application for the eligible doctors missed out in 2020 to enable this payment.

“Article Vii on withdrawal of the circular from the Office of the Head of Service removing House and NYSC Doctors from the scheme of service says ‘the NMA should submit her position immediately to the FMOH PS for onward transmission to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation with a view to processing and issuance of clarification circular within two months.’ The NMA is yet to comply with this.”

It decried that the NMA was yet to facilitate withdrawal of suits by Medical and Dental Doctors in Academics against the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission and the Accountant- General of the Federation to ensure the amicable resolution of the issues, as stated in article X of the MoU signed by NMA and the government.

“It is, therefore, clear that the 21-day ultimatum will neither assist the NMA discharge the role assigned to it in the MoU nor facilitate the faithful implementation of the timeline which the federal government has given every attention.

“It has by the communique issued in Benin abdicated the main role assigned to it in the August 21 MoU,” it said.