The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has rejected claims by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment that it has addressed 19 out of the association’s 20 demands, saying the ministry’s account does not reflect the true situation. NARD stated this in a communiqué issued on Thursday in Abuja, describing the ministry’s statement as “misleading” and failing to capture the real reasons behind its nationwide strike, which began on 1 November.
The association said the strike was triggered by the Federal Government’s failure to implement long-standing agreements on welfare, allowances, and manpower shortages in hospitals. The communiqué was signed by the NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman; the Secretary-General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim; and the Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr. Abdulmajid Ibrahim.
Responding to the Labour Ministry’s press release issued on Wednesday, NARD said the ministry had claimed that a “high percentage” of the doctors’ demands had been met and that payment of the revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and accoutrement allowances had begun. However, NARD said its Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting on 17 November confirmed that “not a single one” of its 19 core demands had been “fully and verifiably met”.
According to NARD, the ministry’s assertions were based only on “anticipations, intentions, and the formation of committees”, rather than concrete action. “The Ministry’s assertion that payments for the 25 per cent and 35 per cent CONMESS review and the 2024 accoutrement allowances have commenced is simply untrue. None of our members across the country has received these payments,” the association said.
NARD added that the government’s reference to “working to reconcile” outstanding payments showed the issues were far from resolved. Announcing intentions without proof of implementation, it said, “is not a credited salary”.
On arrears owed in several federal health institutions, NARD said the ministry’s admission that it was still “compiling lists” for submission to the Budget Office demonstrated “a crippling lack of urgency”, despite years of dialogue.
The association also criticised the ministry’s reliance on committees to address issues such as the disengagement of five doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja; manpower shortages; and alleged casualisation of medical personnel. “Constituting committees is not a resolution. It is often a bureaucratic tool for indefinite postponement,” NARD said.
The group demanded the immediate reinstatement of the affected doctors and full implementation of the one-for-one replacement policy to reduce burnout in hospitals. It also denied claims that it refused to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), saying it only requested an agreement with “clear, time-bound and verifiable implementation steps”.
“We refuse to sign any MoU built on unfulfilled promises. An MoU that does not guarantee immediate and verifiable action is not worth the paper it is written on,” the association stated.
NARD insisted that its minimum demands must be met before it can suspend the strike. These include reinstating the disengaged doctors at FTH Lokoja with full compensation; paying all corrected allowances and arrears; fully implementing the one-for-one replacement and specialist allowances; and resolving all outstanding issues.
While noting that it remained open to dialogue, NARD stressed that negotiations must produce tangible results. “The health of our nation is in the balance,” it added.
The dispute is the latest in a series of long-running disagreements between the government and resident doctors over remuneration, working conditions, training support, manpower shortages, and delayed implementation of agreements—issues that have repeatedly disrupted health services nationwide.
