Your ultimatum violates our MoU –Labour Ministry
AKOR SYLVESTER -Abuja
The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has thrown its weight behind the ongoing nationwide strike embarked on by the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD.
In a statement jointly signed by its President, Prof. Innocent Ujah, and Secretary-General, Dr Philips Ekpe, the NMA said the Federal Government should resolve all pending issues with NARD within 21 days in the interest of all concerned.
The NMA released the statement on Sunday after the executive arm of the association held a National Executive Council, NEC, meeting between August 22 and August 28 in Benin.
The association said that it would not allow any doctor to be victimised for participating in the strike instituted by NARD.
The statement reads: “The various industrial disputes involving the different affiliates of the association was exhaustively reviewed.
“After due consideration, NEC put the Federal Government on a 21-day notice to fully resolve all the issues contained in the various agreements signed with the affiliate members of the NMA including NARD, MDCAN, and MEDSABAMS.
“The Nigerian Medical Association fully supports all her affiliates in their efforts to improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria and the welfare of her members.
“NEC affirms that no doctor shall be victimised for participating, or not participating in the strike by NARD.
“If the FG fails to implement the agreements after the expiration of the 21-day notice, NMA shall summon an Emergency Delegate Meeting to review the progress made on the implementation of the agreements,” it stated.
NARD commenced a nationwide strike on August 1, 2021, after the three months it gave the Federal Government to implement the terms of the MoU it signed with the association in April elapsed.
Since the commencement of the strike, the National Assembly, NASS, has made several attempts to intervene in the matter by holding meetings with the NARD leadership, but the meetings has produced no concrete result.
In an earlier interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, NARD Publicity Secretary, Dr Dotun Oshikoya, accused the FG of being indifferent towards its demands, saying that that action had also frustrated National Assembly, forcing it to “take off its hands” from the matter.
Oshikoya said that in spite of the association’s discussions with NASS, nothing tangible had been done to address the issues that triggered the ongoing strike because the executive arm of the government remained unresponsive.
“The executive arm of the government is not doing anything to implement our demands, and the NASS can only be a mediator and make recommendations; they cannot do their work for them,” Oshikoya said.
A no-work-no-pay order, instituted by the FG for doctors at the federal and state public health institutions is currently being implemented.
The FG had issued a circular directing all Chief Medical Directors, CMDs, and Medical Directors, MDs, of state and federal hospitals, to open a work register for doctors.
This directive implies that doctors yet to return to work will not be paid August salary, even as NARD claimed that government was owing its members in some states and federal hospitals salaries spanning between three months and one year.
Some of the demands made by NARD include immediate salary payment to all house officers and an upward review of the current hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated salaries of all health workers.
Other demands are payment of outstanding COVID-19 allowance and payment of death in service insurance for all health workers, who died as a result of COVID-19 infection, or other infectious diseases in the country.
NARD also insists that salary shortfalls of 2014, 2015, and 2016, owed members in state and federal health institutions be paid.
Since the commencement of the strike, healthcare delivery in state and federal public health facilities remain epileptic with only consultants and corps doctors available in most facilities to cater to the health needs of the public.
Meanwhile, The Ministry of Labour and Employment, has said the 21-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government by the Nigerian Medical Association(NMA) is in direct collision with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on August 21, 2021 .
A statement by the spokesman of the Ministry, Charles Akpan said the Federal Government is religiously implementing its own side of the agreement, with effective monitoring by the office of the Minister of Labourl and Employment , adding that NMA is yet to move a needle on the roles assigned to it in the MoU.
“ First is that , the NMA communique in Benin which issued a 21-day ultimatum is at variance with the timeline in article II, Vii, Vii and X of the MOA.
“Importantly, article II on payment of the outstanding hazard allowance from the 2020 Medical Residency Training Fund states that the Fund will be paid after verification and reconciliation of figures from the BOF . Till now, Both NARD/ Postgraduate Medical College are yet to submit the validated application for the eligible doctors missed out in 2020 to enable this payment .
“ Article Vii on withdrawal of the circular from the Office of the Head of Service removing House and NYSC Doctors from the scheme of service says “The NMA should submit her position immediately to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) for onward transmission to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation with a view to processing and issuance of clarification circular within two months.” The NMA is yet to comply with this.
“Similarly, the Technical committee set up in article Vii to tackle the backlog of arrears on GISMIS was given four weeks effective Monday, August 31, 2021 to round off its assignments. Is this not on collision with the 21-day ultimatum?
“Also, article X of the MoU also states that the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) should facilitate the withdrawal of suits by MEDSABAM against National Salaries Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC ) and the Accountant General of the Federation to ensure the amicable resolution of the issues. The NMA is yet to do this, yet issuing a fresh ultimatum.
“It is therefore clear that the 21-day ultimatum will neither assist the NMA discharge the role assigned to it in the MoU nor facilitate the faithful implementation of the timeline which the Federal Government has given every attention .
“The truth is that NMA should play its role as the guardian of its affiliate associations instead of descending into the arena for needless fear of impeachment .
“It has by the communique issued in Benin, abdicated the main role assigned to it in the August 21 MoU” it further noted.
