Posted on: Wed 05-11-2025

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Enugu State chapter, has said that doctors and other health workers in the state will not participate in the ongoing nationwide strike declared by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) over demands for increased remuneration.

 

The association explained that the decision was based on the Enugu State Government’s commitment to improving the welfare of healthcare professionals, particularly under the administration of Governor Peter Mbah.

 

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday in Enugu to mark the 2025 Physicians’ Week and the maiden Enugu South-East Regional Health Summit, the Chairman of NMA Enugu, Dr. Sunday Okafor, said the state government had provided one of the most competitive salary structures for medical personnel in the country.

 

“Doctors in Enugu State, under Governor Mbah, are among the best-paid healthcare workers in Nigeria in terms of remuneration. We cannot in good conscience disrupt health services in a state that has demonstrated genuine commitment to our welfare,” Okafor stated.

 

He commended Governor Mbah for his vision and dedication to improving efficiency across the public health system, noting that his administration had made significant investments in human resources, infrastructure, and service delivery.

 

The NMA chairman also urged the Federal Government and other state governors to emulate Enugu’s example by prioritising the welfare of health workers as a strategy to enhance service delivery and reduce industrial actions in the sector.

 

“If every state government showed the kind of commitment we see in Enugu, issues like recurring strikes would become a thing of the past,” he added.

 

Meanwhile, Governor Peter Mbah has expressed satisfaction with the steady progress recorded at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, over the past year.

 

Speaking at the first anniversary of Prof. Gozie Ogbodo’s assumption of office as Rector, Mbah noted significant improvements in students’ performance, faculty quality, and infrastructure at the institution.

 

He described the developments as a fulfillment of his administration’s vision to revive IMT in line with the dreams of its founding fathers, who envisioned it as a flagship institution for vocational education and innovation in the South-East.

 

“We are seeing a deliberate effort to restore IMT’s lost glory, and I encourage the management to remain focused and consistent in this path of transformation,” the governor said.

 

Mbah reiterated his administration’s resolve to continue strengthening both the education and health sectors, which he described as the foundation for sustainable growth and human capital development in Enugu State.

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