Resident Doctors Urge FG to Invest Proceeds of Subsidy Removal in Health, Education

*Opts for more time to resolve dispute with FG

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Nigerian doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has advised the federal government to ensure that monies saved from the removal of fuel subsidy are judiciously used.
They said such saved funds should be put into meaningful investments that would better the lives of all Nigerians, especially in health and education sectors.
NARD said they have resolved to give the new government some time to quickly resolve the issue which was at the root of the current spate of massive brain drain in the sector.

In a communique issued at the end of its Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) held in Lagos, NARD urged the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to as a matter of urgency put measures in place to cushion the effect of subsidy removal on poor Nigerians.

“We advise the government to ensure that monies saved from the removal of subsidy are judiciously used and put into meaningful investments that would better the lives of all Nigerians. In this case, health and education should be prioritised,” he said.
The association urged Tinubu to as a matter of urgency declare state of emergency in the Nigerian health sector, stressing that the era of paying lip service to the monster of Brain Drain should be over.

It urged the federal government to set up a high-powered panel to review and harmonise reports from the former President Obasanjo Health Agenda for Nigeria committee and the former vice President Osinbajo-led health sector reform committee, in order to generate a plan of action in the health sector for the Tinubu-led Administration.

However, the doctors said they were insisting on their demand for at least 200 per cent increment in the CONMESS salary structure and, “the associated allowances as contained in our letter to the government dated 7th July 2022.”
“We have resolved to give the new government some time to quickly resolve this issue which is at the root of the current spate of massive brain drain in the sector.

“We call on Governors Adedapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Alex Otti of Abia state, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state, Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, Abdurahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara state and the FCTA Administration to urgently look into the situation in the health sector in their states as mentioned in the observations above since these are capable of breaking down the industrial peace in their states,” they added.
In addition, NARD urged the management of LASUTH and the Lagos State Governor to discontinue the demand for bench fees as this contravenes the decision of the National Council on Establishment to abolish the fees.