The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Yobe State Chapter, has refused to join the nationwide strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) which began on Monday over the N60,000 new minimum wage proposed by the federal government.
Dr Abubakar Kawu Mai Mala, the NMA Chairman in the state, stated this while briefing newsmen in Damaturu on the ongoing strike action.
He said although the NMA is a brother to the NLC struggle, they (medical doctors) are not part of their affiliate, adding that the health sector in the state is so critical that they could not shut it down.
According to him, the NMA supported the organised labour in spirit but considering the economic consequences and humanitarian aspects in the state, they were not in support of the industrial action.
He said, ‘‘All the facilities are opened and they are rendering 100% services. We are not their (NLC) enemies or stoogies. We are just conscious people, we know what we are doing and we know how to do our things.
‘‘We are providing humanitarian services, so if you are a humanitarian you can be on another side. We don’t have to pick a side. For example, we can treat a terrorist you can treat a soldier or anybody. All that it takes is to save human life.
‘‘So we NMA members have not joined the NLC strike. We are not their affiliate, we are fully on the ground. We do respect the NLC’s struggle. We are brothers in struggle as unionists, but we are not their affiliate.”
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