President Tinubu Urges Immediate Resolution to Resident Doctors’ Strike
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to take immediate steps to end the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD). The directive was revealed during a press briefing held in Abuja on Monday, where the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, provided updates on the situation.
The resident doctors declared an indefinite strike that began on Saturday, which they described as “total, comprehensive, and indefinite.” The strike is set to continue until the federal government meets their 19 unresolved demands. These include unpaid arrears, allowances, and entitlements such as the 25/35 percent CONMESS review, promotion arrears, upgrade arrears, and accoutrement allowance, some of which have been pending for over five years.
According to findings by Daily Trust, many health facilities where resident doctors provide essential services were largely deserted on Monday. NARD emphasized that these demands are the minimum requirement to sustain the nation’s healthcare system and restore dignity to medical practice.
Key Demands and Grievances
NARD criticized the prolonged delays in promotions and upgrades, noting that many doctors wait years to receive benefits despite approved promotions, while others face “severe bottlenecks” after passing postgraduate exams. The association also condemned the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), calling it “a tool of frustration” responsible for salary shortfalls of up to N100,000. They demanded a specialized health-sector payroll platform for accurate payments.
Other grievances include:
- Unpaid salary arrears at hospitals in Benue, Owo, and Ile-Ife
- Denial of specialist allowances
- Poor implementation of the one-for-one replacement policy
- Casualisation of doctors
- Downgraded entry levels
- Excessive work hours
NARD clarified that its ongoing indefinite strike aims to save Nigeria’s healthcare system, not to punish citizens.
Government Response and Financial Measures
Hours after NARD declared its indefinite strike, the federal government announced plans to release N11.99 billion within 72 hours to offset some of the salary and allowance arrears owed to medical professionals in the country. However, NARD questioned the figures mentioned.
Dr. Salako stated that President Tinubu has explicitly directed that all possible and legitimate measures be taken to ensure that resident doctors return to their duty posts as soon as possible. While apologizing to Nigerians affected by the strike, he assured that the government is engaging with the doctors to resolve their grievances.
He mentioned that most of the resident doctors’ demands are already being addressed. A July circular from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission had created division among health workers, prompting government intervention. “We approached the National Salaries and Wages Commission and the Presidential Committee on Salary Increase, and the circular was withdrawn,” he said.
Collective Bargaining Agreement Process
A Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) process was initiated in August to harmonize discussions among health unions, including the Nigerian Medical Association, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, and the Joint Health Sector Unions. Two contentious issues—pay relativity and the appointment of non-doctor consultants—temporarily stalled the talks.
“You cannot talk about parity and relativity at the same time; they are mutually exclusive. We engaged an external negotiator, who has submitted an interim report, and the government is reviewing the recommendations,” he added.
Despite CBA rules discouraging strikes during negotiations, the ministry has continued meeting with NARD and other stakeholders, including finance and labour ministers.
NARD’s Stance on Demands
NARD reiterated that its nationwide strike will continue until the federal government meets its 19 demands. “There are 19 items on the demand list. That’s what the National Executive Council has asked for. All 19 issues must be sorted out,” said NARD president Muhammad Suleiman in a telephone interview.
Monitoring and Policy Considerations
Meanwhile, the federal government has announced the establishment of a task force in the ministry to conduct unscheduled visits to hospitals to monitor those not participating in the current strike. “Those who are not on strike should be on the ground doing their work,” Salako said.
When asked if the “no work, no pay” policy would be implemented for the striking doctors, he responded: “The ‘no work, no pay’ policy is a federal government directive, not from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. It is up to the government to decide if it will be implemented or not.”