By Abdullahi Maku

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened to commence a total and comprehensive nationwide industrial strike on Aug. 10 if the Federal Government fails to address its outstanding demands.

The resolution was contained in a communique issued at the end of the association’s July National Executive Council (NEC) meeting which began on Sunday in Gombe and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday night.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the NARD President, Dr Mohammad Suleiman; the Secretary-General, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim; and the Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Abdulmajid Ibrahim.

The association said the decision followed a review of the implementation of previous resolutions and engagements with the Federal Government, expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of compliance on several welfare and professional issues affecting resident doctors.

It said although the Federal Government had successfully disbursed the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) to eligible resident doctors, several critical issues remained unresolved.

“The NEC resolved to embark on a Total and Comprehensive Industrial Strike (TICS) commencing at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, August 10, should the Federal Government fail to satisfactorily address the outstanding issues contained in this communique before the expiration of the stipulated timeline.”

NARD said it remained concerned over the delay in the payment of the outstanding 25/35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) upward review arrears, 19 months’ Professional Allowance arrears and promotion arrears owed to doctors in several federal health institutions.

The association further expressed concern over persistent welfare challenges affecting house officers, including delayed salary payments, unpaid arrears, internship placement bottlenecks and prolonged onboarding processes.

It also described the persistent assault, harassment, intimidation and violent attacks against doctors while on duty as barbaric and unacceptable, calling for urgent legislative measures to criminalise assaults on healthcare workers nationwide.

The association said negotiations on the Medical and Health Workers’ Collective Bargaining Agreement remained unsatisfactory and called for its accelerated conclusion, signing and implementation.

It also urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to conclude the work of the ministerial committee on excessive workload, prolonged call duty hours, casualisation of medical doctors and abusive locum appointments, and implement its recommendations without further delay.

The association also demanded the immediate payment of all outstanding salary and promotion arrears across federal health institutions and urged government to resolve welfare challenges affecting house officers.

It further called for the rehabilitation and upgrading of public health infrastructure nationwide through the provision of modern medical equipment, improved maintenance of facilities, uninterrupted electricity supply and better working conditions for healthcare workers.

According to NARD, governments at both federal and state levels should increase investment in healthcare, strengthen primary healthcare services, accelerate the implementation of Universal Health Coverage and recruit and retain adequate healthcare personnel.

“The NEC reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement and dialogue but reiterated that the welfare of resident doctors and the survival of Nigeria’s healthcare system remain non-negotiable.”

The association also urged the Federal Capital Territory Administration to implement the Professional Allowance Table, settle outstanding CONMESS review arrears and other entitlements owed to doctors.

NARD, however, commended the Federal Government for disbursing the 2026 MRTF to eligible resident doctors, the Federal Character Commission for resolving manpower challenges through timely issuance of compliance letters, and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for intervening in the industrial dispute involving resident doctors at OAUTHC, Ile-Ife.

It also commended the governors of Osun, Kaduna, Oyo, Rivers and Plateau States for improving doctors’ welfare, infrastructure, manpower development and working conditions in their respective states.

NAN reports that NARD had, at its E-NEC meeting in June, extended by four weeks an earlier 21-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government over unresolved welfare and professional concerns.

The association had warned that it would activate the process leading to industrial action if government failed to substantially address the issues within the additional four-week period.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Folasade Akpan

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, for the 2027 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has said that the power to ensure credible elections lies with the Nigerian people, insisting that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will only act according to the resolve of the electorate.

Obi spoke with journalists on Friday after attending the burial service of the late Pa Simon Okorie Abaa, father of the NDC senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South, Chief Linus Okorie, at Isiama Primary School, Onicha Igboeze, in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

Speaking on preparations for the 2027 general election, Obi said his confidence was not in INEC alone but in Nigerians’ determination to defend their votes.

“It is not about confidence in INEC. Do I still have confidence in the people? Because it is the people that will determine what INEC will do. If the people insist that their votes will count, their votes will count.

“It is for Nigerians to look at what is happening in the country today and ask themselves what the future holds for our children in this enterprise called Nigeria. Are we going to continue in this direction? Anybody talking about changing Nigeria today is making the ultimate sacrifice because we cannot continue like this,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor lamented the worsening economic situation, saying poverty and hunger had reached alarming levels.

“Every day poverty is increasing. Every day hunger is increasing. You don’t even need World Bank reports to know this because you can see it in the villages.

“They are saying that about 70 million Nigerians are facing acute hunger. What are we going to do about it? Are we going to continue like this? No. That is not possible,” he added.

On concerns that opposition supporters may face intimidation and harassment during the elections, Obi said Nigerians were already suffering from economic hardship.

“For me, every Nigerian is already being harassed by hunger. People are being harassed by the worsening situation in the country. Everybody is affected.

“It is time for Nigerians to tell those who are harassing us that enough is enough,” he said.

Obi described his relationship with Linus Okorie as longstanding, recalling that they had worked together in the Labour Party before joining the NDC.

“We have worked together before in the Labour Party and now we are in the NDC. That shows we have a close relationship. We are here today to pay our last respects to his late father.

“I pray that God Almighty, who gave Papa a long life and has now called him home, will grant him eternal rest and give the family and all of us the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss. May God continue to bless the family.”