ADO EKITI – THE National Industrial Court, NIC, Abuja Division, has aborted ongoing strike by doctors in Ekiti State, after it restrained members of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Ekiti Branch, from proceeding on the industrial action that began on Monday.

 

Members of NMA Ekiti State branch had on Monday commenced a three -day warning strike to force the state government to address their grievances.

 

Some of the demands of the doctors included implementation of  Specialist Allowance to Consultants working at the Hospital Management Board, Computation of retirement benefits for Doctors using CONMESS template Immediate release of running grants to general and specialist hospitals in the State Implementation of Specialist Allowance to Consultants working at the Hospital Management Board.

 

The state government had approached the NIC with a motion dated April 2, 2014 seeking an order of the court to stop the doctors from going on strike.

 

The President of the Court, Justice B.A. Adejumo, who gave the interim injunction, said the government and the generality of the people of the state might suffer irreparable loss in terms of death that could arise from absence of doctors in the public health institutions during the duration of the industrial action.

 

The state government in the suit no NICN/AD/01/2014 also sought an order restraining the doctors from taking any action that would halt, impede or prejudice the delivery of the services for which they and their members are engaged by the government to be rendered to the people and the government of Ekiti State.

 

Responding to the restraining order, NMA chairman, Dr Obitade Obimakinde who faulted the order, said their lawyer would study the judgment and respond appropriately.