The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), on Thursday, issued a fresh four-week ultimatum to the Federal and state governments urging them to address its demands including the payment of hazard allowances, failing which it will calls its members out on another strike.
The fresh threat of strike comes as President Muhammadu Buhari prepares to jet out to London to attend to his health in a foreign hospital.
But the association, in a communiqué issued at the end of the virtual emergency National Executive Council, lamented the failure by the government to fulfill the conditions it laid down, which led to the suspension of its strike in April.
The NARD said it observed that salary arrears of January, February and March of its members particularly in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and University College Hospital, Ibadan had been paid but was deeply worried about the re-accumulation of unpaid salaries in coming months if the members are not captured in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.
Buhari goes abroad
The association also lamented the extortion of money from its members by the Lagos University Teaching Hospital under the guise of minimum wage while also stating that nothing had been done by the Federal Government to the implementation of national minimum wage and non-payment of salaries since the suspension of the last strike.
NARD alleged that its members in Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital and Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital are being owed salaries ranging from one to 18 months.
“The NEC unanimously resolved that the total and indefinite strike embarked upon by our members on April 1, 2021 should remain suspended and the Federal government and State governments be given four weeks to resolve the pending issues as stated otherwise risk the resumption of the strike.”
It said except for Delta, Bayelsa, Enugu, Ogun and Oyo states, all the other states have yet to implement the new minimum wage for its members.