Nigerian resident doctors suspend nationwide strike after agreement with FG

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has officially suspended its indefinite nationwide strike, which began on November 1st.

The decision was confirmed by NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, in a post on his X handle on Saturday.

Dr. Suleiman stated that the suspension follows a series of negotiations with the Federal Government, culminating in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that addresses the association’s 19-point demands.

While the strike is suspended, several key issues have deadlines for resolution.

The Chief Medical Directors have a four-week deadline to complete the compilation and payment of outstanding promotion arrears.

A four-week deadline has also been set for the payment of all salary arrears.

The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has issued a directive on the specialist allowance, with implementation to be handled by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

A committee has recommended the reabsorption of five doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, with full implementation expected within two weeks.

The MoU also includes processes for the payment of the 25% and 35% salary allowances and the accoutrement allowance.

The resident doctors began the “total, comprehensive, and indefinite” strike to demand better working conditions and welfare. Their key concerns included fair remuneration and immediate payment of salary arrears, improved working conditions and adequate hospital staffing, payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, settlement of five months’ arrears from the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) review, and restoration of the recognition for West African postgraduate membership certificates.

The doctors had emphasized that excessive workloads were negatively impacting the quality of healthcare delivered to Nigerians.

The suspension of the strike is conditional upon the government meeting the agreed-upon deadlines.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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