Resident doctors extend ultimatum, give FG two weeks

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has further extended an already expired ultimatum issued to the Federal government by 2 weeks with effect from Wednesday, 5th July.

The doctors in a communique issued at the end of the extraordinary National Executive Council(E-NEC) Meeting, signed by the NARD President, Dr Emeka Innocent, Secretary General, Chikezie Kelechi and the Publicity Secretary, Dr Umar Musa emphasised that at the expiration of the further extended ultimatum by 19th of July 2023, if all its demands are not met, it cannot guarantee industrial harmony in the Health Sector nationwide.

NARD-NEC observed with disappointment, that it is now seven weeks since the end of the five-day warning strike action embarked upon by the Association to press home her demands, and that the resolutions of the conciliatory meeting chaired by the then Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment were yet to be implemented, seven weeks after, despite the set time lines for their implementation.

The NEC also expressed worry that the circular on one-for-one replacement of clinical staff who have exited the various tertiary hospitals across the country was yet to be released. NEC recalled that the conciliatory meeting agreed that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation would release the implementation guideline on or before 5th June 2023 for onward transmission to the Tertiary Hospitals for implementation, stating however that nothing has happened till now.

NARD National Executive Council(NEC), therefore, demanded the immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF as contained in the approved 2023 budget in line with various agreements reached with the government.

NEC also called on the government to without further delay pay all outstanding arrears owed our members including the hazard allowance and the skipping arrears of 2014-2016, and the arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum wage as there is no justifiable reason to keep owing these arrears and allowances.

“We demand the immediate release and the implementation of the guidelines on one-for-one replacement of clinical staff to cushion the effect of the massive manpower shortage in our various hospitals nationwide.”

“NEC calls on the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to discontinue the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical colleges as this is not obtainable in other parts of West Africa where these same certificates are issued.”

“NEC demands the immediate payment of all Salary Arrears, implementation of the CONMESS salary structure and new Hazard Allowance and domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and payment of the

Medical Residency Training Fund to our members in the State Tertiary Health Institutions nationwide.”

They insist on the immediate implementation of minimum of 200% increment in the CONMESS salary structure and upward review of the associated allowances as requested in her previous letters on the subject matter, since the current economic realities in the country cannot justify the continued payment of CONMESS as it is at the moment or any increment below the 200% as demanded.

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