Posted on: Wed 03-05-2023

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, said yesterday that its demand for a pay rise was not outrageous, insisting the federal government could afford the two hundred per cent wage increase demanded by its members.

NARD had threatened to embark on strike, if the government failed to meet its demands within two weeks.

The association also demanded a 200 per cent upward review of the consolidated medical salary structure, CONMESS, and payment of the salary arrears to resident doctors.Its declaration was a response to the claim of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, that government had no resources to meet what he described as outrageous demand by the resident doctors, adding that resident doctors often demonstrate an ”entitlement syndrome.”

But replying Ngige in an interview on Channels Television programme yesterday, NARD president, Innocent Orji, said doctors and nurses were not part of the last minimum wage increase.

According to him, any increment to their pay should be based on the inflation rate from 2009 till date.

“When people hear that we are demanding 200 per cent upward review, it may sound outrageous but we didn’t just come up with that figure.  

”I’ll give an instance, the exchange rate then was N152/$1. We know what it is today. The fuel price then was N65/litre. We know the amount today and there is even an imminent increment.”

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