Posted on: Mon 12-04-2021

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its 10-day-old strike for four weeks after reaching an agreement with the Federal Government.

The industrial action, which began April 1, was to demand payment of outstanding salaries, upward review of hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated basic pay of all health workers and defrayment of COVID-19 perks, especially in state-owned tertiary institutions.

Part of the bargain was that, “All house officers, yet to be paid, will be settled by Monday (today), even as NARD members on GIFMIS would be migrated to IPPIS and paid their owed salaries in earnest.”

The association’s president, Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, who confirmed the suspension, added that “those (members) still being owed 2020 MRTF will be paid from the 2021 supplementary budget and 2021 MRTF, while increment in hazard allowance is being worked on.”

Expressing satisfaction with the talks, he implored all parties to diligently fulfil their part of the deal. Uyilawa told The Guardian that the government was working on rectification and imbursement of the house officers, noting that some of his members missed payments due to incorrect and conflicting bank accounts and details.

He said: “They are still working on these till 12pm so that they can finish and pay tomorrow (today). They (government) have four weeks to implement the agreement. But if they fail, the association will call a meeting to evaluate what government has done.”

On the hazard allowance, the NARD president clarified: “The allowance is for all health workers. They have a meeting by 11am tomorrow (today) with the National Salaries and Wages Commission. Then a meeting of all health workers would follow on Wednesday.”

Source: Guardian

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