Strike Threat: FG Attending to Resident Doctors’ Demands, Says Ngige

•Reveals nine months hazard allowance paid

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, yesterday said the federal government was already addressing the grievances raised by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The Resident doctors had warned against imminent industrial action if the federal government fails to resolve the myriad of lingering CONMESS payment and other related issues affecting it’s members.

But Ngige who spoke to THISDAY yesterday regarding the strike threat, said the issues raised by the doctors were already being looked into by the government.

He said most of the demands and complaints contained in the association’s letter were already being taken up by a committee involving the Ministries of Health, Finance and the Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.

On the issue of hazard allowance, Ngige said that the doctors were not the only ones that have outstanding, adding that senior doctors, nurses and health workers also have issues with that.

“It is only four months that are outstanding from the 13 months arrears,” he said. 

Ngige, who acknowledged that his ministry had received the letter by the doctors, said it had been sent to the Presidential Committee on Salaries, Income and Wages for consideration.

He said the Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission is the organ responsible for handling reviews of such allowances being sought for by the doctors.

The minister further said as far he was aware, the issues raised by the doctors cannot be described as unresolved since government had started action on them.

He also said the situation does not warrant threat of strike yet. For instance, he said that: “In December, 2021, we concluded discussion on hazard allowance for the health workers. The implementation would have started from January 2022, but we decided to start from December instead.

“So by December 2022 the total hazard allowance they are supposed to collect was for 13 months. Federal government has paid nine months remaining four months and the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health are working together to offset that outstanding.

“”So the issues are being addressed by government and there is a committee made up of the Ministries of Health, Finance and Salaries, Income and Wages Commission looking into it right now,” he said.

The doctors’ demands were contained in a letter from NARD to the Minister of Health Dr. Ehanire Osagie and other key government ministries.