The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) says it is poised to suspend its planned nationwide strike after reaching agreements with the Federal Government on long-standing salary, promotion and welfare disputes during a high-level meeting at the Presidential Villa.
NARD President, Dr Muhammad Suleiman, said the three-hour meeting, convened by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, produced firm commitments and implementation timelines on nearly all the issues that had prompted the association to threaten industrial action.
“Today, I can tell you, our matters are solved,” Dr Suleiman told journalists after the meeting.
He, however, said the planned strike could only be formally called off after consultations with the association’s National Executive Council (NEC).
“I can’t stand here and tell you I have called off a strike. I have to report all of this back. We sit down. We take a decision,” he said.
The meeting was attended by the Ministers of Labour, Health and Finance, alongside the Director-General of the Budget Office, the Accountant-General of the Federation and senior government officials responsible for payroll and cash management.
Dr Suleiman said both sides agreed on timelines to resolve outstanding salary, promotion and allowance issues.
“We are talking about the meal issue at LUTH; we are talking about a week for implementation. We have agreed on a figure. We have agreed on numbers,” he said.
He also announced a breakthrough on the persistent delay in paying house officers, saying the Presidency had directed that their salaries must be paid before the 10th of every month.
“He has given a standing order that before the 10th of every month, salaries of house officers must be paid,” Suleiman said.
On the delayed Collective Bargaining Agreement, he said the Presidency had instructed the Ministries of Labour and Health to fast-track negotiations so that any agreed financial commitments could be included in the 2027 budget.
The doctors’ association also raised concerns over increasing attacks on healthcare workers, revealing that 31 doctors and more than 20 other health workers had been assaulted in the past 10 months.
According to Suleiman, the Federal Ministry of Health has agreed to issue directives to hospitals to strengthen security and launch public awareness campaigns against violence targeting medical personnel.
“The Ministry of Health is going to release directives to their hospitals to beef up security and create safe spaces,” he said.
He added that Gbajabiamila had pledged to champion legislation that would make assaults on health workers an aggravated offence.
On unpaid hazard and specialist allowance arrears, Suleiman said the government had corrected underpayments earlier this year but acknowledged that a 19-month backlog remained outstanding.
He declined to disclose the amount involved but said discussions showed the outstanding liabilities were “much more reasonable” than initially estimated, with the Budget Office expected to provide a payment timeline.
A source familiar with the meeting said NARD leaders had privately assured the Chief of Staff that the planned strike would be suspended following the agreements reached.
NARD had earlier threatened to begin an indefinite nationwide strike next week over unpaid salary arrears, welfare concerns and other unresolved issues after its National Executive Council meeting in Gombe State.
