Resident Doctors Threaten To Continue Strike As Govt Stalls Dialogue

The intervention of the House of Representatives in the continuing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors has come to a halt.

The discussion, which was hosted by the House Committee on Health Services, was going well until the topic of allowances came up.

The Minister of Health (State), Olorunbe Mamora said the issue of allowances is still in court, hence the government cannot give commitment.

Expressing anger, NARD’s President, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi issued a threat, warning that the union will not call off the strike if the government continues to frustrate dialogue using the court case.

Okhuaihesuyi, who was obviously vexed with the position of the Minister said, “If the government continue to use this case to frustrate this matter, I can assure you that this strike will continue.”

The Chairman of the Committee, Tanko Sununu, appeared not to be pleased with the statement by NARD’s president and ordered that the statement be withdrawn.

Okhuaihesuyi consequently withdrew the statement, however, accused the government of lying about the court case.

It would be recalled that the doctors embarked on strike on the 2nd of August, over issues of Resident Doctors Training areas, minimum wage regularization and others.

Following the withdrawal of the statement, the Chairman of the Committee ruled that the Ministry of health should provide evidence that there is an ongoing case in court.