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Tag: Strike

  • Strike: Hope in sight as resident doctors reach agreement with FG

    Strike: Hope in sight as resident doctors reach agreement with FG

    Striking resident doctors and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government on the industrial action that began on Wednesday.

    Operating on the platform of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the striking doctors embarked on the five-day warning strike to press their demand for improved conditions of service.

    Spokesman of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr Olajide Oshundun, stated on Saturday in Abuja that the MoU was signed at the office of the minister, Mr Chris Ngige on Friday.

    He stated also that the meeting of Friday directed officials of the NARD to present the outcome to members of the association in an emergency meeting to be held within 48 hours.

    “This is with a view to suspending the strike,’’ he stated.

    The striking doctors had said on Wednesday that the move was to call government’s attention to the need to end brain drain in the health sector and improve the welfare of members of NARD.

    They are also demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of current gross salaries of doctors.

    NARD is also demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to serve compulsorily in Nigeria for five years before getting full licences to practise.

    It also wants immediate domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and a review of Hazard Allowance by state governments.

    The striking doctors also want a review of the Consolidated Medical Salaries Structure which was last reviewed in 2009 and the payment of unpaid salary arrears for 2014 to 2016.

    They also want a consequential adjustment of minimum wage arrears that is yet to be paid when the new minimum wage was implemented among other issues.

    According to Oshundun, in the MoU reached on Friday, Ngige said parties agreed that health is in the Residual List and not on the Concurrent List of the Constitution.

    Consequently, the Federal Government cannot compel state governments to effect payment of salaries and allowances in the health sector.

    He stated that the NMA and NARD were advised to embrace more persuasion and social dialogue at the state level.

    Ngige said the Federal Ministry of Health had taken the matter of perennial non-payment of salaries to Abia doctors to the National Council on Health.

    He added that the council had asked the state government to pay the doctors who had been on strike for several months for robust health delivery to the people.

    He argued that the Federal Government could also not compel state governments to domesticate the Medical Residency Training Act and pay the same salaries as paid by the Federal Government.

    “The ministry advised NARD to reach out to states that are not paying and negotiate with them, even if the rates are lower than that of the Federal Government.

    “The meeting also discussed the bill on bonding of doctors for five years before licensing, sponsored by Rep. Ganiyu Johnson (APC-Lagos State).

    “It was agreed that the Executive arm of government could not interfere with it being a private member’s bill and not an Executive bill.

    “The meeting resolved to await the public hearing on the bill, where the doctors will deal with it through the NMA to ensure it does not see the light of day,’’ Oshundun stated.

    The meeting noted that the recommendations of the Federal Ministry of Health’s Brain Drain Committee on exited doctors had been forwarded to the Office of Head of Service of the Federation (OHSF) for further action.

    Ngige said the OHSF was directed to engage all stakeholders on the matter by May 24 to ensure the approval of the implementation plan on or before June 5.

    The plan, he added would be transmitted to teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres for implementation.

    Ngige also said that the meeting agreed that fund for the payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund had been taken care of in the 2023 budget.

    He added that payment would begin when the operation of the budget begins.

    He noted that the budget office had requested for a comprehensive list of all resident doctors in federal tertiary health institutions from the Federal Ministry of Health.

    He added that the Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria had sent the list through the Federal Ministry of Health for payment to begin as soon as funds are released.

    The meeting resolved that NARD should re-present the list of doctors omitted in the payment of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment to the ministry on May 22.

    The list should have annexes of the old submission and the same copied to the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment.

    Top officials of Federal government agencies in the health sector and those in relevant agencies signed the MoU on the part of government.

    President of NMA, Dr Uche Ojinmah and his counterpart at the NARD, Dr Emeka Orji signed on behalf of the doctors.

  • Striking doctors, NMA, FG sign Memorandum of Understanding

    Striking doctors, NMA, FG sign Memorandum of Understanding

    Striking resident doctors and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government on the industrial action that began on Wednesday.

    Operating on the platform of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the striking doctors embarked on the five-day warning strike to press their demand for improved conditions of service.

    Spokesman of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr Olajide Oshundun, stated on Saturday in Abuja that the MoU was signed at the office of the minister, Mr Chris Ngige on Friday.

    He stated also that the meeting of Friday directed officials of the NARD to present the outcome to members of the association in an emergency meeting to be held within 48 hours.

    “This is with a view to suspending the strike,’’ he stated.

    The striking doctors had said on Wednesday that the move was to call government’s attention to the need to end brain drain in the health sector and improve the welfare of members of NARD.

    They are also demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of current gross salaries of doctors.

    NARD is also demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to serve compulsorily in Nigeria for five years before getting full licences to practise.

    It also wants immediate domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and a review of Hazard Allowance by state governments.

    The striking doctors also want a review of the Consolidated Medical Salaries Structure which was last reviewed in 2009 and the payment of unpaid salary arrears for 2014 to 2016.

    They also want a consequential adjustment of minimum wage arrears that is yet to be paid when the new minimum wage was implemented among other issues.

    According to Oshundun, in the MoU reached on Friday, Ngige said parties agreed that health is in the Residual List and not on the Concurrent List of the Constitution.

    Consequently, the Federal Government cannot compel state governments to effect payment of salaries and allowances in the health sector.

    He stated that the NMA and NARD were advised to embrace more persuasion and social dialogue at the state level.

    Ngige said the Federal Ministry of Health had taken the matter of perennial non-payment of salaries to Abia doctors to the National Council on Health.

    He added that the council had asked the state government to pay the doctors who had been on strike for several months for robust health delivery to the people.

    He argued that the Federal Government could also not compel state governments to domesticate the Medical Residency Training Act and pay the same salaries as paid by the Federal Government.

    “The ministry advised NARD to reach out to states that are not paying and negotiate with them, even if the rates are lower than that of the Federal Government.

    “The meeting also discussed the bill on bonding of doctors for five years before licensing, sponsored by Rep. Ganiyu Johnson (APC-Lagos State).

    “It was agreed that the Executive arm of government could not interfere with it being a private member’s bill and not an Executive bill.

    “The meeting resolved to await the public hearing on the bill, where the doctors will deal with it through the NMA to ensure it does not see the light of day,’’ Oshundun stated.

    The meeting noted that the recommendations of the Federal Ministry of Health’s Brain Drain Committee on exited doctors had been forwarded to the Office of Head of Service of the Federation (OHSF) for further action.

    Ngige said the OHSF was directed to engage all stakeholders on the matter by May 24 to ensure the approval of the implementation plan on or before June 5.

    The plan, he added would be transmitted to teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres for implementation.

    Ngige also said that the meeting agreed that fund for the payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund had been taken care of in the 2023 budget.

    He added that payment would begin when the operation of the budget begins.

    He noted that the budget office had requested for a comprehensive list of all resident doctors in federal tertiary health institutions from the Federal Ministry of Health.

    He added that the Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria had sent the list through the Federal Ministry of Health for payment to begin as soon as funds are released.

    The meeting resolved that NARD should re-present the list of doctors omitted in the payment of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment to the ministry on May 22.

    The list should have annexes of the old submission and same copied to the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment.

    Top officials of Federal government agencies in the health sector and those in relevant agencies signed the MoU on the part of government.

    President of NMA, Dr Uche Ojinmah and his counterpart at the NARD, Dr Emeka Orji signed on behalf of the doctors.

  • How a 29-year-old woman quit job and became full-time witch; Earns $8,500 monthly

    How a 29-year-old woman quit job and became full-time witch; Earns $8,500 monthly

    Jessica Caldwell, 29, decided to quit her job of five years when she had a “spiritual awakening” while scrolling through Instagram during one of her nail-technician shifts.

    She was working six days a week at a salon until she stumbled across a Facebook group in 2019.

    “The Facebook group was filled with posts where people explained their journeys into witchcraft,” she told SWNS. “It fascinated me, and I felt really drawn to know more.”

    Caldwell, from Swansea, Wales, said she, “purchased crystals, tarot cards and a few herbs,” but when she bought witchcraft books online, she discovered she has a talent for reading tarot cards and “fell in love with crystals.”

    “At first, I was extremely skeptical, but I was really curious,” she shared. “On my breaks at work in the salon, I’d be researching tarot cards and crystals. I became obsessed. I felt like it was a pull towards it all, it felt really natural to me.”

    Caldwell started by offering her services free of charge to family and friends, and then demand increased, and she gave readings to strangers online.

    Caldwell remembered one client that “shocked” her.

    ”I had this woman approach me for a reading, and I kept getting the name ‘Steve.’ Eventually I had to say something — which she revealed was the name of her partner,” she shared. “I was spooked but amazed by my intuition.”

    In January 2021, she set up an Instagram offering witch and tarot-card services full time — and immediately got a flood of requests.

    Caldwell selects tarot cards for her client and records her readings on a voice memo, which usually are five to 10 minutes long, charging anywhere between $5 and $75.

    “It just exploded online. Within six months, I had 16,000 followers,” she shared.

    Now, she has 24,800 followers and over 5,000 clients — exclusively on social media — and reads tarot cards for celebrities and models.

    She’s even making three times as much as she did as a beautician.

    Caldwell believes her talent has always been within her.

    “I’ve always been a witch,” she said. “I just never had the tools to utilize my power until now. Intuition is a powerful tool that I never realized I used in my daily life. Now I utilize it within my readings with complete strangers.”

    The witch admitted that her family and friends were concerned when she turned her intuition into a full-time career, but now that she’s raking in money, they’re supportive of her.

    Many of her clients ask her about love and what their partner thinks of them, putting Caldwell in a situation to “have to tell them the brutal truth.”

    “Some people just want a nice chat which can be just as helpful as a reading,” she said. ”I also give free advice on spell work and spirituality. I show people how to create protection charms. I even show them how to attract people to you.”

    She admitted that she does get a few trolls online, but all of her clients are “respectful and lovely.”

    Caldwell works 10 hours per day, getting to “pick and choose” her own hours, and works from home.

    She hopes more women will join in on the witchy lifestyle.

    “It’s really changed my life, it’s my calling. I do always encourage other women to give it a try. I’ve been on such a journey of discovery,” she said. ”A reading can discover so much about someone’s life. It’s like therapy for them. I always get people crying, saying that I’ve changed their life.”

    “Additionally, I do everything within the comfort of my own home. I don’t see myself ever going back to [the] salon,” she continued. “I wish more women and men would trust their intuition. It’s a powerful tool when used properly.”

  • Negotiations on-going on Resident Doctors’ strike – FG

    Negotiations on-going on Resident Doctors’ strike – FG

    The Federal Government says negotiations are on-going with stakeholders over the five-day warning strike embarked upon by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Wednesday.

    Fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, Director, Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Morenike Alex-Okoh, said the strike was of concern for government.

    “The situation with the doctors’ strike is of concern to government and the negotiations have been on-going.

    “We will continue under the circumstances, so, I cannot give you any conclusive response now.

    “However, government, the leadership of the ministry and relevant stakeholders are meeting to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,’’ she said.

    NARD served notice on the Federal government on Tuesday warning that it could not guarantee further industrial harmony should government failed to address issues raised before May 29.

    NARD’s letter entitled: “Notice of Strike Action’’ was signed jointly by its National President, Dr Innocent Orji and Secretary-General, Dr Chikezie Kelechi.

    They stated that NARD had issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to resolve issues as contained in the ultimatum before its expiration on May 13.

    Tuesday’s letter read in part: “regrettably the issues have remained unresolved despite several attempts by NARD to get government to resolve them.

    “Rising from her Extra-Ordinary Meeting on Monday, May 15, NARD’s National Executive Council resolved to embark on a five-day warning strike beginning on May 17.’’

    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of current gross salaries of doctors.

    NARD is also demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to serve compulsorily in Nigeria for five years before getting full licences to practise.

    It also wants immediate domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and a review of Hazard Allowance by state governments.

    Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment had on Tuesday, relayed the Federal Government’s warning to the association to shelve the strike.

    He issued the warning shortly after receiving a letter of notification from the NARD executive on the planned strike.

    In a statement signed by Mr Olajide Oshundun, Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ngige said the planned strike was illegal.

    “There is nothing like warning strike. A strike is a strike. If they want to take that risk, the options are there. They have the right to strike. You cannot deny them that right.

    “Their employer has another right under Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, however, to withhold their pay for those five days.

    “If the NARD has strike funds to pay its members for those five days, no problem.

    “The health minister will instruct teaching hospitals to employ ad-hoc people for those five days and use the money of the people who went on strike to pay the ad-hoc doctors,’’ Ngige said.

    Ngige also said in the statement that upon receipt of NARDS letter, he contacted the Minister of Health, who told him that a meeting had been scheduled with the resident doctors for Wednesday.

    He advised the doctors to avail themselves of the opportunity of dialogue with their employers, rather than embarking on warning strike, which is unknown to the law.

    Speaking on the issue, President of NARD, Dr Orji said that members were still awaiting the Federal Government’s call for negotiations.

    “I am still in my hotel room now and I have not received any call to come to the table to discuss the strike.

    “We also heard that government is planning a `no work, no pay’ strategy, but our position is that it should resolve issues raised because that is the only way to avoid escalation.

    “Issuing threats will definitely worsen the problem. If no work no pay is implemented, our members will determine how we will handle it.

    “Going by that route will escalate the problem because it means that government is not ready to address the issues we have raised and will rather give punitive measures.

    “Our members will decide and give us further directives, but no one should blame us if they decide to escalate the strike,’’ he said.

    A visit to Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja, showed doctors were attending to patients.

    Dr Chidi Nnabuchi, former Head of Clinical Services said the hospital would not shut down, but would operate based on available capacity.

    He said emergency care would be offered where necessary, but could not ascertain if patients would be placed on admission. Number of out-patients seeking attention would also be reduced.

    He explained that this would be so because only medical consultants, NYSC and in-house doctors would be attending to patients.

    “We have few doctors that are corps members; they are not part of the strike. Some others are on local employment.

    “They are on ground to handle emergencies and treat patients in the wards.

  • Resident doctors commence strike, urge FG to address demands

    Resident doctors commence strike, urge FG to address demands

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has urged Federal Government to address its demands before May 29 as resident doctors commence a five-day warning strike today.

    Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, NARD’s President, Dr Innocent Orji disclosed the association had given the federal government a two-week ultimatum, which Dr Orji said expired on May 13, without the government addressing the association’s demands.

    “Regrettably, these issues have remained unresolved in spite of several attempts by NARD to get the government to resolve them. We call on the Federal Government to address the issues raised before the May 29 hand over date as further industrial harmony cannot be guaranteed after the warning strike,” he said.

    Orji further said that since the expiration of the two-week ultimatum, government did not reach out to the association nor made any significant moves to resolve the issues. He said the association frowned at this development and wondered how government would claim to have the interest of the Nigerian citizens at heart and still neglect such ultimatum.

    According to him, some of the issues raised by the association include immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to 200 per cent of the gross salary of doctors and allowances.

    He said the demands also include the commencement of payment of all salary and other arrears owed  members, including 2014, 2015 and 2016 salary arrears, as well as arrears of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage.

    Also included are the immediate massive recruitment of clinical staff in hospitals and abolishment of bureaucratic limitations to the immediate replacement of doctors and nurses who left the system.

    The doctors also wanted immediate infrastructure development in hospitals with subsequent allocation of at least 15 per cent of budgetary provisions to health, in line with the Abuja Declaration of 2001, Oji said.

    The NARD president said that the association requested immediate payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), in line with the agreements reached at the  2023 stakeholders’ meeting.

    The association also requested for immediate implementation of CONMESS , domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act (MRTA), and review of hazard allowance by all the state governments, as well as Private Tertiary Health Institutions.

    Orji said that the association would  review the progress made during and after the strike at the Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) slated  for next two weeks and decide the next line of action.

    He  expressed the association’s readiness to go into  negotiation with government with a view to resolving the disputes.

  • Anxiety as resident doctors set for 5-day warning strike on Wednesday

    Anxiety as resident doctors set for 5-day warning strike on Wednesday

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), says it will commence a five-day warning strike on Wednesday.

    President of the association, Dr Innocent Orji, disclosed this on Monday while speaking on the outcome of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

    According to Dr Orji, the warning strike will begin by 8 am on Wednesday.

    The association had on April 29 issued a two-week notice to the Federal Government to increase the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) or risk industrial action.

    It said at the time that the increment should be to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salary of doctors and also be in addition to the new allowances included in the letter written to the Minister of Health in 2022 for the review of CONMESS.

    According to the association, it observed that in spite of several engagements with the Federal Government on the need to upwardly review CONMESS, which was last reviewed over 10 years ago, there are no changes.

    “The Federal Government has neither called NARD to the negotiation table nor taken any tangible step in addressing the issue.

    “This is against the background of the dwindling economic situation in the country, the serial abysmal decline in the value of the Naira, the imminent removal of fuel subsidy and the consequent damaging effect on the cost of living in the country.

    “There have been previous ultimatums issued to the government by NARD on account of this problem of the review of the CONMESS salary structure.”

    It added that the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on CONMESS stated clearly that the salary structure would be due for review after five years, but this has not been done since the implementation in 2014, though the approval was given in 2009.

    Orji, however, said that since the issuance of the two-week notice the association had not been called upon by the Federal Government to initiate negotiations.

  • Yahaya Bello: EFCC seeks stay of execution of ruling on 14 properties, N400m

    Yahaya Bello: EFCC seeks stay of execution of ruling on 14 properties, N400m

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) filed a motion to halt the execution of a court ruling which stopped the forfeiture of 14 properties and the sum of N400 million linked to Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, on Monday

    Justice Nicholas Oweibo of a Lagos Federal High Court, had on  April 26, struck out a suit by the EFCC seeking the final forfeiture of the properties and sum on the grounds of provisions of Section 308(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

    The judge declared: “Given Section 308 of the Constitution, which provides immunity to a sitting governor from any civil/ criminal prosecution, the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the matter.”

    At a sitting on Monday, counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed the court of an application dated April 27, 2023, seeking a stay of execution of the ruling pending the outcome of the appeal on the case.

    Responding, counsel to the respondent, Akoh Ocheni, filed an application seeking to strike out the application for stay of execution by the EFCC.

    Justice Oweibo adjourned the matter till further notice.

    In his motion against the final forfeiture application, Bello based argued that the listed property was not obtained via the commission of an illegal act because it was acquired before he was elected governor of Kogi State and could not have been proceeds of public funds.

    He added that the EFCC cannot file any civil or criminal charges against him because of Section 308 of the Constitution.

    The governor also argued that the EFCC’s lawsuit was filed illegally on the grounds that the anti-graft agency was blatantly disobeying a state high court ruling prohibiting it from looking into any accounts of the Kogi State Government until the Motion on Notice was decided.

    He claimed that the Commission made false statements to obtain the interim forfeiture order.

    Bello added that because the disputed properties were purchased before he was elected governor of Kogi State, the Proceeds of Crime Act could not be applied retroactively.

    He claimed that the Supreme Court was hearing arguments over the legality of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2022.

    He added that the suit should have been filed in either Abuja or Kogi State. Therefore, he requested that the lawsuit be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

    EFCC had in December 2022,  arraigned Ali Bello, who is  identified as a nephew of Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi State, before a Federal High Court in Abuja, alongside one Dauda Suleiman, on a 10-count charge of alleged misappropriation and money laundering before Justice James Omotosho.

    The Commission stated that the pair, along with one Abdulsalami Hudu, a cashier at the Kogi State House of Assembly who is now at large, took N10.2 billion for personal use out of the state’s coffers.

    However, the accused entered a “not guilty” plea to the accusations.

  • Plateau workers threaten strike action over salary arrears

    Plateau workers threaten strike action over salary arrears

    Workers in Plateau, under the aegis of the Joint National Public Service, have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over non-payment of their salary arrears and other demands.

    Chairman of the workers’ council, Mr Titus Malau, said this in a news conference on Thurday in Jos.

    The chairman explained that the workers were being owed three months salaries, insisting that the state government was not concerned about the welfare of its workers.

    Malau listed other demands to include lack of promotions, non- implementation of existing salary structure, third party dedications, among others.

    He said that the workers had earlier given government a seven-day ultimatum which expired on May 3, and regretted that government had failed to respond.

    ”In line with our seven days ultimatum which expired on May 3, the leadership of the joint council has made frantic efforts to avert an industrial upheaval by meeting with government to reach an amicable resolution on two occasions.

    On May 3 and May 4, we met with the government but it was unable to address the vexed issues.

    ”In our last sitting, the representative of government appealed that we grant them an extension of two weeks within which our demands will be met.

    ”But the leadership of the council met and considered the extension of four days, from Friday, May 5, to Wednesday, May 10, to enable government address these pressing issues.

    ”If by May 10 the situation remains unchanged, we will be left with no other option than to embark on an indefinite strike action to press for our demands,” he said.

    Malau, however, called on the workers to exercise patience and remain resolute while awaiting government’s response to the ultimatum.

  • Telecommunications workers threaten 3-day warning strike at firm

    Telecommunications workers threaten 3-day warning strike at firm

    The Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN) has issued a three-day warning strike notice to Huawei Technologies Company Limited over alleged anti-labour practices.

    Huawei is a global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices.

    PTECSSAN’s General Secretary, Mr Okonu Abdullahi, in a letter addressed to the company, said that the union had directed the withdrawal of services of its members from projects of the company, effective between 12.00 a.m. May 2 and 11.59 p.m. May 4, 2023.

    In the letter on Sunday in Lagos, Abdullahi said that failure of the company to comply with the union’s demands after the warning strike would result in an indefinite strike.

    He said that the strike might cause telecommunications network disruptions as no worker would be available to attend to them.

    ‘’We were constrained to embark on this industrial action when it became apparent to us that your company is not labour friendly and is not interested in peaceful and amicable resolutions of the concerns of our members.

    ‘’For the avoidance of doubt, we shall not be backing down on the warning strike except the following are agreed with the union.

    ‘’Immediate recognition of the fundamental right of the employees to freely associate with the union; immediate recognition of the union as negotiating body for the employees on workers welfare.

    ‘’Immediate remittance of membership dues into the union’s account as earlier provided; immediate payment of March salaries of some members of the union, among others.

    “As we look forward to your company’s granting of our demands, please be assured of our union’s resolve to ensure better working conditions for her members, ‘’ he said.

    Other demands include immediate regularisation of the employment of union members on the Huawei projects and the involvement of the union in the process.

    Also, the immediate commencement of appropriate pensions deduction and remittance of same as required by the Pension Act.

    ‘’Immediate approval of the National Health Insurance Scheme that covers the employees, their spouses and four of their dependents.

    ‘’Immediate enrollment of Union members in the Group Life Insurance as stipulated in the Pension Reform Act 2004, Section 9(3).

    ‘’Immediate commencement of negotiation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (Conditions of Service) for the benefit of union members, ‘’ the letter read in part.

    Meanwhile, several calls were made and text messages sent to the company to get its reaction, but there was no reply.

  • Just In: Resident Doctors give FG two weeks ultimatum or face strike

    Just In: Resident Doctors give FG two weeks ultimatum or face strike

    The National Association of Resident Doctors has given the Federal Government two weeks to implement agreements concerning their demands or face industrial disharmony.

    The resident doctors disclosed this in a communique issued on Saturday at the end of their Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

    The meeting which held from Thursday, April 27 to Saturday was predicated upon burning issues affecting the welfare of the doctors and the alarming rate of flight of doctors and other healthcare workers on account of poor remuneration, grossly inadequate funding of the health sector, and the attendant negative effect on the citizens and the health workers.

    NARD laments unpaid 1,600 resident doctors’ training fund
    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salary of doctors in addition to the new allowances included in the letter written by the association to the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire on July 7, 2022, on the review of CONMESS.

    Details shortly…