Ngige Reacts Angrily During FG, Doctors’ Reconciliation Meeting

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, could not hide his anger at the on-going strike action called by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) as he described it as “unwarranted, illegal, and badly timed” during a reconciliation meeting to end the dispute.

The minister spoke during a reconciliatory meeting between representatives of the federal government and that of resident doctors in Abuja.

According to him, the industrial action was unwarranted as the association had gone on strike twice even while negotiations were ongoing.

He described the doctors’ attitude as insensitive to the plights of the citizenry.

He also expressed dismay over the public denial by NARD that the government had done nothing to meet their demands.

Recall that about 16,000 doctors had downed tools over the government’s inability to meet their demands including insurance package, payment of the outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance as well as the payment of medical residency training fund.

The doctors subsequently embarked on industrial action on September 7, calling for the upward review of their hazard allowance from the N5,000 which they described as “paltry”.

Although the minister acknowledged that certain demands of the association were yet to be met, he said the government had fulfilled six out of their eight demands.

He noted that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) have been sufficiently supplied to hospitals across the country as well as the disbursement of N9.3bn for Life Insurance cover of health workers across the country.

He reaffirmed that the government has done all it could, with the available resources, stressing that public denial of government gesture was “disgraceful, distasteful and inconsiderate.

“Essential services don’t go on strike according to the ILO constitution and if you go you hire another one.

“Let us not use a strike to intimate the government, I will not allow you to continue, ” the minister declared.

On his part, the Minister of State for Health Olorunnimbe Mamora appealed to the association to show a level of understanding within the context of the situation in the country.

“The President is cognizant of the needs to give the best to health workers and we must not push ourselves this far.

“We all took the oath and we need to be guided by this all the time. Mine is that of an appeal to all our colleagues and all health workers in general.

“No life is superior to the other and our responsibility is to save lives,” Mamora stated.

Responding , the President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA),Prof. Innocent Ujah, profusely apologised to the federal government for publicly disregarding all efforts by the government.

He blamed the intense outcry by the association on the pressure of the moment and the knowledge of a widespread danger and risk encountered by health care workers across the country.

In the same light, the President, National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Aliyu Sokomba, apologised for the misunderstanding and misconception of the grievances of the association by the government.

He noted that the strike action embarked upon by NARD was “most unfortunate but avoidable”.

He acknowledged that although some demands have been met by the government, others, including the permanent conclusion of the upwards review of hazard allowances and execution of the payment of life insurances were yet to be established.

Present at the meeting were representatives from the Ministries of Finance, Health, Labour and Employment, Commission for wages and income and that of the Association of Resident Doctors.