Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, the president of the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has yet again accused the Federal Government of owing salaries of up to seven months.
Okhuaihesuyi who was a guest on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, said this while reiterating that the government had failed to meet its commitment under their agreement.
He, therefore, outlined several conditions to be met before the union will call off its ongoing strike.
“It has been seasons of recurrent strikes because one group has failed to honour the agreement made,” he said.
“First, our minimum requirement; we want all members on Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) to be paid – we are talking about five to seven months’ salary, up till now, and nothing is done about it.
“114 house officers are still not being paid. We signed a document over 151 days ago. The association of resident doctors is saying the time for a change in the medical sector is now.”
The NARD President is not eager to hold talks with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, and the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire. Rather, he echoed his previous call for both ministers to resign or be fired.
“We do not want to negotiate with the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Health. We actually think that for Nigeria to have a better Health Sector, those people have to go.
The NARD President also countered the claim by the ministers that the demands of the striking doctors that concerns the Federal Government have been met.
“The minimum wage adjustment allowance is still not paid,” he said, for example. “The Trustfund of 2014, 2015, 2016 are not being met and you come on air to say virtually all demands have been met.”
NARD has been on strike for the past 37 days.
