The Nigerian Government has cautioned members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) against going on five-day warning strike.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, after being notified by leadership of NARD.
According to a press release by Olajide Oshundun, director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Ngige noted that the planned strike was unconstitutional.
The strike is billed to start by 16 May.
Ngige furthered that he had already fixed a meeting with the resident doctors on Wednesday.
He, however, urged the doctors to create avenue for a round table with the Federal Government, instead of embark on a warning strike, which according to him is unlawful.
He said, “I will advise them to attend the meeting with the Minister of Health tomorrow. I will also advise them very strongly not to go on a five-day warning strike.
“There is nothing like warning strike. A strike is a strike. If they want to take that risk, the options are there. It is their decision. They have the right to strike. You cannot deny them that right.
“But their employer has another right under Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, to withhold their pay for those five days. So, if the NARD has strike funds to pay their members for those five days, no problem.
“The health minister will instruct the teaching hospitals to employ adhoc people for those five days and they will use the money of the people who went on strike to pay the adhoc doctors.
“That is the ILO principles at decent work, especially for those rendering essential services. Lives should be protected. One of my sons is a resident doctor, I will advise him to go to work and sign the attendance register,” he said.
The Minister continued that the Federal Government would forced to resort to no-work-no-pay system.
Reacting to the five demands proposed by the doctors, Ngige revealed that the federal government does not have the capacity to force the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) on state governments.
