In what appears to be good news for Nigerians, the Nigerian Government has signed a Memorandum of Action with Resident Doctors to enable the striking Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors to end the action.
The new MOA was signed following a conciliation meeting between representatives of the Federal Government and those of NARD as it became necessary to amend the original MOA signed with the striking doctors, according to Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige, who spoke to reporters in Abuja.
He noted that there had been irregularities in the payment of house officers’ salaries, highlighting the fact that while some had received double payments, others had not. He also mentioned the formation of a five-person committee to harmonise the list of affected officers.
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It is anticipated that the list will be provided to the Federal Ministry of Health for submission to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System.
Mr. Ngige stated that the ministry had instructed the health institutions affected by the non-payment of salary shortfalls between 2014 and 2016 and arrears resulting from the subsequent adjustment on the National Minimum Wage to forward their personnel strength in order to enable the ministry to accommodate same in the 2021 supplemental budget.
The minister stated that the Hazard Allowance issue wasn’t unique to NARD members and instead affected the entire health system, and he added that the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS) would meet with the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission on April 12 to discuss the issue.
The minister announced that the NMA, the Joint Health Sector Unions, NARD, and other stakeholders will meet with the PCS on April 14, 2021, with their position papers on the matter.
