The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has extended by four weeks its expired 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, warning that it could embark on industrial action if its demands remain unmet.
The decision was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the association’s Extraordinary National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting, held virtually on Saturday.
The communiqué was jointly signed by NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman; Secretary-General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr. Abdulmajid Ibrahim.
According to the association, the extension followed a review of the Federal Government’s level of compliance after the 21-day ultimatum issued during its May Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) expired without full implementation of its demands.
NARD said the additional four-week window would give the government another opportunity to address its outstanding demands ahead of the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled to hold in Gombe State in July.
Despite granting the extension, the association declared an industrial dispute with the Federal Government over unresolved welfare and professional issues affecting resident doctors across the country.
It warned that it could no longer guarantee industrial harmony beyond the additional four-week period if the government failed to address the outstanding concerns.
“Consequently, the E-NEC mandated the National Officers’ Committee (NOC) to activate all necessary processes in preparation for appropriate industrial action should the government fail to demonstrate satisfactory compliance within the stipulated period,” the communiqué stated.
NARD said the decision followed extensive deliberations on reports presented by the NOC on its engagements with relevant ministries, departments and agencies of government.
The association acknowledged that some progress had been made in its discussions with the government but maintained that several critical welfare issues remain unresolved despite repeated assurances from the authorities.
