…cannot guarantee industrial harmony, they say
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has once again issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government in its pursuit of the implementation of a 200 percent increment in the salary structure of its members and other benefits.
The wordings of the NARD message, Wednesday, were somewhat couched, as they said they, “cannot guarantee industrial harmony in the Health Sector nationwide,” in the event of no compliance by government, as against the tendency to threaten an explicit strike action.
The Resident Doctors Association said their resolution was taken at a virtual Extraordinary National Executive Council Meeting (E-NEC) to appraise the level of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the government on May 19, 2023, following a five-day warning strike embarked upon by the Association on May 17, 2023.
Signatories to the communique were Innocent Orji, Kelechi Chikezie and Musa Umar, who are President, Secretary-General and Publicity and Social Secretary, respectively of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The association urged to pay quickly pay outstanding arrears owed its members in the interest of industrial harmony. It listed the arrears as including hazard allowance and the skipping arrears from 2014 to 2016, as well as arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum wage.
The communiqué read: “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.”
It further stated: “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.
“NEC hereby wishes to further extend her already expired ultimatum issued to the government by 2 weeks with effect from today 5th July 2023.
“The NEC of NARD insist on the immediate implementation of a minimum of 200% increment in the CONMESS (Consolidated Medical 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.
“For purposes of emphasis, at the expiration of this further extended ultimatum by 19th of July 2023, if all these demands are not met, we cannot guarantee industrial harmony in the Health Sector nationwide,” the statement said.
