The President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu has given his go-ahead to the waiver of ‘no work, no pay’ preferred against the members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The doctors had commenced a 17-day industrial action on July 26 after the Federal Government failed to meet their demands. Responding, the government instituted a ‘no work, no pay’ order on August 1 to compel the professionals to return to work.
After a series of consultations between NARD leadership and government representatives, the resident doctors called off their strike on August 12.
However, in a statement on Friday, presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said the waiver will enable the doctors to receive their salaries which were withheld during the strike action.
‘Invoking the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, President Bola Tinubu has approved the waiver of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ order that was instituted against striking members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on August 1, 2023, following the commencement of their industrial action which began on July 26, 2023,’ the statement read.
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‘After several constructive engagements between the Federal Government and NARD, the Resident Doctors called off their strike on August 12, 2023. The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation was directed to withhold all salaries accrued by striking NARD members during the 17 days of their strike action.
‘In view of the faithful implementation of terms which were agreed upon during the fruitful deliberations between the Resident Doctors and the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has directed the grant of an exceptional last waiver of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ Order on Resident Doctors, which will allow for the members of the NARD to receive the salaries which were previously withheld during the 17-day strike action.’
Africa Today News, New York reports that Doctors have continued to clamour for better working conditions.