News

Resident Doctors Issue Final Deadline, Threaten Nationwide Strike From Aug. 10

Published

3 months ago

July 31, 2026

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

Related Topics:Aug Deadline doctors final issue nationwide resident strike threaten

Up Next

Osun poll strategically important in Nigeria’s democratic calendar — INEC Chairman

Don't Miss

2027: You have the power to ensure credible elections – Peter Obi to Nigerians

Click to comment

Business

REA Ends 16 Years of Darkness in Two Kano Communities

Published

5 hours ago

October 25, 2026

PlateauReports

BY GABRIEL MICHEAL—The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has again advanced its goal of deepening electricity access across the country with the commissioning of two mini-grid projects in Kano State after over sixteen years of darkness.

The agency commissioned two projects comprising a 195kWp system in Ballagaza and a 70kWp system in Marayar Rogo, located in Warawa, which will serve 2,222 households ending over sixteen years of darkness.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Managing Director of REA, Abba Aliyu, described the project as another step toward achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda’s goal of electrifying over 17 million Nigerians.

He described the project as a strong example of what public-private partnerships can achieve.

He also thanked the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf for identifying electricity as a key deliverable of his administration and for providing a conducive environment for the execution of the project.

“The Federal Government did not build these mini-grids and hand them over. Alfuttaim Nigeria Limited invested its own money, built them, and will own and operate them for many years. What the government did, through the DARES programme delivered by the REA with support from the World Bank, was to subsidize part of the cost to ensure the electricity is affordable for you.”

“Under DARES, Nigeria is working toward 1,350 mini-grids, and the programme has already brought new or improved electricity to more than five million Nigerians. Our country still has more people without electricity than any other nation in the world. That challenge will not be solved by a single agency or programme; it will be solved community by community, in places like Ballagaza and Marayar Rogo, when private companies are willing to invest and communities take ownership of what is built for them. The government’s job is to keep its word to both,” he said.

The Gabazawa community which is known for groundnuts, millet, sorghum, and soya, as well as its blacksmiths, weavers, and dyers, will experience advanced production, allowing groundnuts to be pressed into oil and kuli-kuli using electric machines and sold at a better price.

The mini-grid project will also serve the primary healthcare centre in the Gabazawa community, which has previously been without power.

In her remarks at the event, the Co-founder of Alfuttaim, Dr. Nabilah Sani, expressed delight at the completion of the project, noting that it will not only power homes but also boost agricultural productivity.

She thanked the Federal Government for facilitating the funding that brought the project to fruition while noting that these are just two of ten sites currently under development in Kano.

She further urged residents of the community to protect the infrastructure as their own and shun vandalism.

The post REA Ends 16 Years of Darkness in Two Kano Communities appeared first on Business Today NG.

News

Starlink seems to be working normally again in Ukraine

Published

5 hours ago

October 25, 2026

PlateauReports

SpaceX appears to have lifted restrictions the Ukrainian military’s of use Starshield — the military-grade version of the company’s Starlink internet system.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Defense Minister Evgeniy Khmara told reporters that Starshield appears to be working normally again, although the military is still conducting tests and has not received an explanation for the restrictions.

This follows a 10-day period where Ukrainian drones would lose internet connectivity when flying at speeds of around 100 miles per hour, resulting in the military losing control of some drones, while others became more vulnerable because they were flying more slowly.

President Donald Trump reportedly called SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday and asked him to restore Starshield service. Both Trump and Musk have criticized Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, with Musk recently posting, “Zelensky has gone too far.”

The WSJ previously reported that Musk ordered SpaceX to throttle Ukraine’s Starlink access, though some sources claimed he’d discussed it with the Trump administration first. Musk claimed in a post on X that Ukraine had “violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people.”

“Were Starlink to be turned off, the Ukrainian front line would collapse immediately,” Musk said. “This is NOT a threat, it is simply a statement of fact.”