The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Monday directed all its members nationwide to embark on an indefinite strike to press home their demand of payment of salary arrears of its members both in federal and state health institution.
They are also demanding the upgrade of their members who are due for promotion. This was contained in a directive signed and issued in Abuja yesterday by the association’s president and secretary-general, Dr. Onyebueze John and Dr. Emmanuel Aneke respectively.
The association, in bolstering the reason for the industrial action, also rejected the terms of settlement from government. “We resolve to proceed on the proposed national, total and indefinite strike action with effect from 8a.m Monday, September 4, 2017.
“The association resolved to take this action after its national executive council meeting which ended in the early hours of Monday in Abuja.”
In July, NARD issued a warning to the government that it would embark on an indefinite strike if its demands were not met.
“Neither the federal nor state governments has shown commitment to the resolution of issues at stake nor honoured previous agreements,” Olusegun Olaopa, president of NARD University College Hospital, Ibadan, had said in a statement.
“Consequent upon this, the association resolved to proceed on a total indefinite industrial action from Monday, September 4, 2017, until all these issues are permanently resolved.
Nationwide pre-strike protests against this injustice are to hold in all our branches and states of the federation on August 30, 2017.
The Association also called on all Heads of Tertiary Health Institutions who have received funding for payments to ensure it pay immediately the same to its members.
It should also be recalled that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is currently on strike over the failure of the government to meet its demands, which include the payment of the earned allowances of its members.
