The ongoing strike undertaken by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has been described as unfortunate by the federal government.
The resident doctors began an indefinite strike from 12 am on Wednesday due to the unmet eight-point demands concerning their conditions of service.
It’s worth noting that the doctors had previously engaged in a five-day warning strike on May 17, 2023, to push for their demands, but unfortunately, it did not yield the desired outcome.
Reacting to the current situation, on the sidelines of the 6th Registrar of Trade Unions’ National Workshop in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Daju Kachollom, expressed that the resident doctors should have allowed ongoing negotiations with the federal government to reach a mutually agreed conclusion before resorting to a strike.
Kachollom acknowledged that the transition into the new government of President Bola Tinubu had caused some delays in the negotiation process.
“It’s rather unfortunate that NARD is on strike because we have been having consultations since May to be precise on the demands they raised and we have met quite a number of times and the government has assured them that the issues raised are being looked into.
“There was a transition and we all know that in a transition there is a process and until the process is completed, there is nothing we can do. Unfortunately, they decided to go on strike, we have actually taken the consultation to the highest level on the issues raised,” she told journalists.
According to her, “The government has assured them and continues to assure them that the demands raised will be looked into.”
Moving forward, she said, “We’re still going to engage them further beyond where we have because we have been engaging and I’m sure the president of NARD cannot say that we have not been engaging, I will just say that they have to believe in what government is doing.”
Additionally, the permanent secretary highlighted that the purpose of the 6th Registrar of Trade Unions’ National Workshop was to enhance the labor administration system in Nigeria.
Under the theme, “Repositioning the Labor Administration System for Effective Socio-Economic Development in Nigeria,” the workshop aimed to provide participants with essential knowledge, skills, and expertise to effectively handle various aspects of trade union affairs.
These included managing workplace disputes, understanding jurisdictional scope dynamics, and addressing issues related to unfair labor practices. The ultimate goal was to equip attendees with the tools necessary to promote smooth and productive labor relations in the country.
