The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) says it has reached key agreements with the Federal Government on resolving outstanding salary, promotion and allowance issues but has not yet suspended its planned nationwide strike.
NARD President, Dr. Mohammed Usman Suleiman, disclosed this after a meeting with the President’s Chief of Staff and senior government officials, including the Ministers of Labour, Health and Finance, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and officials responsible for cash management and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
According to Suleiman, the meeting produced agreements on several longstanding welfare issues affecting resident doctors, with government agencies assigned specific timelines to implement the resolutions.
“Today, I can tell you, our matters are solved,” Suleiman said, noting that outstanding salary and promotion issues are expected to be resolved within one week.
He explained that the government had also agreed on the figures relating to outstanding payments and made arrangements to improve salary payments for house officers.
According to him, the Chief of Staff directed that house officers must receive their salaries on or before the 10th of every month, ending the delays that often left them waiting for payments.
On the issue of professional allowances, Suleiman said the government provided greater clarity on the outstanding liabilities, revealing that the amount owed was lower than the association had initially estimated.
He added that the Director-General of the Budget Office would provide a timeline for settling the arrears, while relevant government agencies were already exploring funding options.
The meeting also addressed the implementation of the Medical and Health Workers’ Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Suleiman said the Chief of Staff directed the Ministries of Labour and Health to accelerate negotiations so the agreement could be concluded and its financial implications incorporated into the 2027 national budget.
He explained that this would enable the government to make the necessary budgetary provisions for implementation.
The welfare of healthcare workers also featured prominently during the discussions following reports of repeated attacks on doctors in hospitals.
Suleiman disclosed that 31 doctors and more than 20 other health workers had been assaulted over the past 10 months.
He said the Federal Ministry of Health would issue directives to hospitals to strengthen security measures and create safer working environments while launching public awareness campaigns against violence targeting medical personnel.
According to him, the Chief of Staff also pledged to sponsor legislation that would classify assaults on healthcare workers as aggravated offences.
“We think it will send the right signal that health workers should not be assaulted,” Suleiman said.
Despite the progress recorded, the NARD president stressed that the association had not called off its planned industrial action.
“I can’t stand here and tell you I have called off a strike,” he said, adding that although the government’s intervention had significantly addressed the association’s concerns, the final decision rests with NARD’s National Executive Council.
Suleiman clarified that the allowance dispute centres on 19 months of unpaid arrears.
He explained that while the government corrected the payment structure for professional allowances in February, the adjustment only covered payments from July 2024, leaving a backlog of 19 months which the government has now agreed to settle.
Although he declined to disclose the exact amount involved, Suleiman said the verified figure was considerably lower than the association had initially projected, making it more manageable for the government.
He said the National Executive Council would review the outcome of the meeting before deciding whether to proceed with or suspend the planned strike.
“I have National Executive Council members. I will have a conversation. I have to report all of this back. We’ll sit down and take a decision,” he said.
Suleiman also expressed confidence in the government’s commitments, citing the Chief of Staff’s previous interventions in disputes involving resident doctors.
He recalled that the Chief of Staff had successfully mediated similar issues several years ago during his tenure as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The association is expected to announce its final position on the proposed strike after its National Executive Council concludes deliberations on the government’s commitments.
