Abuja, Nigeria – Di Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) don finally come back to work after 29 solid days of strike. Dem don suspend di strike after dem hold one special National Executive Council meeting wey happen on Saturday. According to di president of NARD, Muhammad Suleiman, di strike go last for just four weeks this time around.
Dis guys dey wear white coat, but dem don put di whole hospital service for serious wahala as dem come out to shout about unpaid salaries, poor working conditions, and plenty other issues wey fit make dem fit collapse while treating patients. Na dem gree dey strike after dem hold meeting for October 25, say di government no gree sabi wetin dem dey talk.
NARD no wan hear any story again! Dem alleged say government dey form slack over dem demands like unpaid salary arrears and di non-implementation of di one-for-one replacement policy. Dem also complain say dem dey work like say dem be machine, with too much workload, and plenty doctors dey run comot go abroad.
Suleiman talk say di MoU wey dem sign with di government go make sure say dem go implement some of di demands lickety-split. E mention di pressing issues like sending payment for di promotion and salary arrears, and di reinstatement of di ‘Lokoja five’ wey dem dey call am.
“We don make progress, but some tins still dey hang. We go make sure say di government no go slack again before di four weeks finish,” e add sharply. And no forget, dis suspension na just a small break o! Dem dey monitoring everything wey dey happen sharp-sharp!
But make we no deceiving ourselves, dis fight no be just about money. E get level wey dem dey talk about dignity and safety for di doctors . No be small matter when you see dem dey work for hazardous conditions and dem no dey receive any form of recognition or compensation. Na wetin dem dey fight for be dat!
Di last time wey di government promise say dem go release N11.9 billion for outstanding debts, but nice promise no complete dem try dey do anything solid. Dem promise to drop N21.3 billion into di account for salary disbursement too. We go see wetin go happen as di four-week countdown dey begin right from Monday, December 1.
NARD promise say dem go still dey keep Nigerians updated, and if di government fail make am work, dem no go hesitate to resume di strike again. As dem dey talk, them dey promise to fight till di end, no be play!
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