Resident doctors refute labour ministry’s claims of progress, insist strike continues

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has rejected the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment’s claim that the government has met “19 out of 20” of its demands, insisting that none have been fully implemented and the nationwide strike will continue.

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In a press statement on Thursday, NARD described the Ministry’s circulated release of 19 November as “misleading,” accusing officials of attempting to create the impression of progress when none of their demands have been “fully and verifiably met.”

The resident doctors have been on an indefinite strike since 1 November, grounding services across federal hospitals.

NARD stated that its Extra-Ordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of 17 November reviewed the government’s position and found that the Ministry’s assertions “grossly misrepresent the state of negotiations and the reality of our ongoing industrial action.”

What led to the rebuttal

The Ministry of Labour and Employment, after a conciliation meeting with stakeholders, announced that the government had met most of NARD’s demands and urged the doctors to suspend the strike.

The Minister, Mohammad Dingyadi, stated that payment for the revised CONMESS salary structure and 2024 accoutrement allowance “has commenced,” and that the government was working to resolve omissions, failed payments, outstanding arrears and manpower issues.

Mr Dingyadi reminded NARD that, under labour laws and ILO conventions, parties are expected to refrain from “arm-twisting” tactics while conciliation is ongoing.

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However, NARD rejected these claims, saying the Ministry’s statements amount to “anticipation of action, not action itself,” adding that its members across the country have not received the payments.

According to the association, none of its 19 core demands has been “fully and verifiably met,” contrary to the picture painted by the Ministry.

On the issue of payments and allowances, NARD said: “The Ministry’s claim that payment for the 25 per cent / 35 per cent CONMESS review and 2024 accoutrement allowances ‘has commenced up to December 2024’ is, at best, an anticipation of action, not action itself. An announcement of intent is not a substitute for a credited salary.”

It also said the government’s remarks about reconciling payment omissions is an admission that the problem remains unresolved.

List compilation

The doctors expressed shock that the government is “still compiling lists” of arrears owed in hospitals across the country, including Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) Lokoja, Federal Medical Centre Owo, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), and others.

NARD stated that this confirms the “crippling lack of urgency and implementation” that led to the strike, arguing that repeated meetings, committees, and promises have not led to concrete results.

The association also criticised the Ministry’s claim that committees were set up to address issues such as manpower shortages, the disengagement of resident doctors at FTH Lokoja, and the casualisation of doctors through locum arrangements.

“Constituting a committee is not a resolution; it is often a bureaucratic tool for indefinite postponement,” NARD said, insisting on the immediate reinstatement of the five disengaged doctors in Lokoja and the immediate implementation of a one-for-one replacement policy.

MoU refusal

The Ministry had accused NARD of refusing to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached at the negotiation table.

In response, NARD said it will not sign any agreement “built on unfulfilled promises” or one that lacks binding timelines.

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“We refuse to sign any MoU that merely papers over cracks while our members continue to suffer. An MoU without immediate, verifiable action is not worth the paper it is written on.”

As the strike enters its third week, public hospitals remain stretched, with consultants and a limited number of other health workers struggling to cover services.

NARD, however, insists the responsibility for resolving the crisis “lies squarely with the government,” urging the “government to shift its energy from crafting misleading press statements to undertaking the concrete actions required to resolve this crisis.”