By Udora Orizu
The federal government has assured that members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) would be paid their salary arrears on or before May 7.
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, gave the assurance yesterday following an exhaustive meeting with the doctors, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and other stakeholders yesterday.
Ahmed, said funds were available for the payment, assuring that her ministry would pay immediately a verified list of the beneficiaries was received.
However, when the Director-General of the Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze, who was one of the stakeholders at the meeting, confirmed that his office was in receipt of the list, the minister gave her word that payment would be made by May 7.
The doctors on their part, hinted that they were ready to suspend their planned resumption of strike on Friday, May 7.
They said they would suspend the planned strike as soon as they got payment for their salary arrears.
The resident doctors had on April 1 embarked on an indefinite strike, making some demands, which included non-payment of house officers, abolishment of bench fees, non-payment of national minimum wage, salary shortfall for 2014, 2015 and 2016, residency training allowance, and payment of resident doctors on GIFMIS platform.
All the issues raised by the doctors were resolved, except that of salary shortfall for 2014, 2015 and 2016.
The issue involves all health workers with a cost implication of about N23 billion, which the Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, described as “huge and complicated.”
Also, there were claims that a case on the matter was before a court, which the Speaker asked the Ministry of Health, Dr Osahie Ehanire, to produce the relevant court papers to back the claim as the resident doctors said their checks revealed there was no pending court case anywhere on the matter.
It was then agreed jointly by the doctors, the House led by the Speaker and officials of the ministry of health that the matter should be set aside until court papers were provided.
