The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has said the intervention of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has substantially resolved the issues behind its ongoing strike.
President of NARD, Dr Mohamed Usman Suleiman, disclosed this after a meeting convened by the Chief of Staff at the State House, Abuja, with the Ministers of Labour, Health, and Finance, as well as the Director-General of the Budget Office, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and other senior government officials.
Dr Suleiman said the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) would take the final decision on suspending the industrial action, noting that NARD would brief the council before reaching a conclusion.
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“We cannot say the strike has been called off yet, but I have utmost confidence that what the Chief of Staff has done today has moved the needle to a very large extent and has solved our matters,” he said.
He commended Gbajabiamila’s role in resolving disputes involving resident doctors, recalling that the Chief of Staff had similarly intervened during his tenure as Speaker of the House of Representatives, with each intervention yielding positive outcomes.
Dr Suleiman said the meeting produced concrete timelines for implementing key agreements, including the settlement of salary arrears, promotion arrears and call duty allowances at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), all expected to be resolved within one week.
He also disclosed that agreements were reached on the recruitment of additional house officers and the prompt payment of their salaries, with a directive that salaries be paid on or before the 10th of every month.
On outstanding allowances, Dr Suleiman explained that although the Federal Government corrected the payment of accrued allowances earlier this year, implementation covered only the period from July 2024, leaving 19 months of arrears unpaid.
He, however, noted that the outstanding liability was significantly lower than initially estimated, making it more affordable for the government to clear.
The NARD President further revealed that the government made additional concessions on the Professional Allowance table, while the Chief of Staff directed the Ministries of Labour and Health to fast-track the conclusion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) so that its financial implications could be captured in the 2027 budget.
Dr Suleiman said discussions also addressed the safety of healthcare workers, adding that the Chief of Staff would initiate legislation to classify assaults on health workers as aggravated offences.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Health would direct hospitals to strengthen security, create safer working environments and intensify public awareness campaigns aimed at curbing attacks on healthcare personnel.
