‘No work no pay’ will be implemented if doctors don’t resume – Ngige

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The Federal Government has threatened to implement the ‘no work, no pay’ on the striking National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) if they refuse to resume work.

This was revealed by Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, who issued the warning on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

“By Tuesday, I will invite them back. If they become recalcitrant, there are other things I can do. There are weapons in the Labour Laws, I will invoke them. There is no work, no pay”.

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“Their employers have a role also to keep their business afloat, to keep patients alive. They can employ local doctors. We won’t get there but if we are going to get there, we will use that stick,” Ngige said.

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Ngige also noted that the current hazard allowance of ₦5,000 for doctors was fixed in 1992, noting that it was fair and just.

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Recall that then-president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Francis Adedayo Faduyile, drew the attention of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to the figure. The VP reportedly described the figure as ‘criminal’.

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According to the minister, however, the Federal Government would review the amount in five weeks’ time.

Ngige, however, did not disclose the new proposed figure.

“It is the last NMA President Faduyile that called my attention that the hazard (allowance) was ₦5,000. I raised it with the Finance Minister and the Vice President in the Economic Sustainability Meeting. In fact, to use the words of the Vice President, he said it is criminal, that it shouldn’t happen.

“The new hazard allowance will be done in the next five weeks. It is in the Memorandum of Action that we signed. Immediately after the Easter break, I will convene a meeting to look at it holistically,” he added.

It was earlier reported that the resident doctors had on Thursday embarked on an indefinite strike to protest alleged failure by the Federal Government to fulfil its obligations to them.

Although they had earlier met with the Federal Government’s team on Wednesday over their grievances, NARD rejected the proposals put forward by the government in the implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between both parties.

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