Doctors strike: Ngige insists on ‘no work, no pay’

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, on Thursday insisted that the federal government would implement the ‘no work, no pay’ charter on striking resident doctors in Nigeria. The threat is coming at a time the Saudi Arabia has commenced recruitment of doctors and other medical experts in Nigeria.

Ngige after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday, stated with relief that the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) leadership has intervened in the impasse between the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Federal Government.

The minister noted that he would be leading a Federal Government delegation for a meeting in Abuja on Friday with stakeholders in the medical sector.

The Minister, however, reaffirmed that the government would go ahead to invoke the ‘no work, no pay’ charter on the striking doctors, saying the NARD’s resumed strike is illegal and injurious to the nation at a time the country was battling with the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ngige argued that it is illegal for the doctors to embark on a strike without issuing adequate notice to the government. he maintained that there is nothing like ‘resumed a suspended strike’ as the NARD said.

However, Ngige was silent on the willingness of the government to consider the demands of the striking doctors.