Resident doctors’ strike illegal – FG

The federal government Tuesday described the resident doctors’ five-day warning strike starting today as “illegal”.

It said the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) did not give a 21-day notice as stipulated by the labour law.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, in a chat with Daily Trust, said the NARD’s letter was received by the minister Tuesday.

He said the letter, dated 15th May, 2023, should have been sent long ago to give a 21-day notice.

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“The planned strike by the resident doctors is illegal because they are not following the law. The law stipulates 21 days. The minister just got their letter today (Tuesday), a few hours ago.

“If they go on strike without proper notice, they know the consequences of their actions.”

The NARD had, on April 29, issued a two-week ultimatum to the government to implement the agreements or face industrial action.

The ultimatum, however, ended on Saturday.

The association is demanding increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 percent of the current gross salary of doctors; new allowances included in its letter to the Minister of Health on July 7, 2022, on the review of CONMESS; payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund; payment of salary arrears, consequential adjustment of the minimum wage, among others.