The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has hinted that its planned nationwide strike could be halted following a meeting with the Federal Government facilitated by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The engagement, which lasted about three hours and was held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, brought together top government officials and leaders of the doctors’ body to find solutions to the grievances that triggered the planned industrial action.
The meeting was attended by the Ministers of Labour, Health and Finance, the Director-General of the Budget Office, the Accountant-General of the Federation, alongside officials responsible for payroll administration and government financial operations.
After the discussions, NARD President, Muhammad Suleiman, said the talks yielded positive results, with both sides reaching understandings on key issues affecting resident doctors, including unpaid entitlements, career progression, allowances and general welfare matters.
Suleiman said the government had provided assurances with specific deadlines for addressing the outstanding concerns, adding that the intervention had significantly improved the situation.
He commended Gbajabiamila for his continued efforts in resolving disputes involving resident doctors, noting that the presidential aide had previously played a role in mediating similar disagreements between the association and the government.
One of the immediate matters addressed during the meeting was the welfare situation at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), particularly issues surrounding doctors’ meal allowances. The NARD president said agreements had been reached on the required payments and timelines for implementation.
The association also raised concerns over delayed salary payments for house officers. According to Suleiman, the government has directed that their monthly salaries should be processed before the 10th of every month to prevent prolonged waiting periods.
On the pending Collective Bargaining Agreement between NARD and the Federal Government, Suleiman disclosed that the Ministries of Labour and Health had been mandated to speed up discussions and work towards incorporating agreed terms into future budget arrangements.
The safety of medical personnel was another major issue discussed during the meeting. Suleiman revealed that NARD presented concerns over rising attacks on healthcare workers, stating that several doctors and other medical professionals had suffered assaults in recent months.
He said the Ministry of Health would instruct hospitals to strengthen security arrangements, create safer working conditions and educate the public on the need to respect healthcare workers.
The NARD president further stated that Gbajabiamila had pledged support for legislative measures that would increase penalties for attacks on medical personnel, describing the proposed action as an important step towards protecting health workers.
Regarding outstanding hazard and specialist allowances, Suleiman explained that the matter had remained unresolved for years due to previous payment shortfalls. He noted that efforts had been made to address part of the arrears, while discussions continued on the remaining balance.
He declined to reveal the exact amount involved, explaining that government agencies were still reviewing the figures and would provide further clarification.
Although the meeting produced encouraging outcomes, Suleiman said the association had not officially withdrawn its strike notice, stressing that only NARD’s National Executive Council has the authority to make such a decision.
He explained that the resolutions reached would be presented to the council before a final position is announced.
NARD had earlier threatened to commence an indefinite nationwide strike on August 10 over unresolved issues including unpaid arrears, welfare challenges and delays in implementing previous agreements with the Federal Government.
However, the latest intervention has raised hopes that the dispute may be settled without the doctors embarking on industrial action.
