Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has threatened to fire striking resident doctors at the state university teaching hospital if they do not return to work immediately.
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) began a nationwide strike on Monday to protest their well-beingMembers in Rivers State have sworn not to call off the strike, claiming that the governor had yet to address pending concerns impacting them.Wike, on the other hand, said in a statement released by the Secretary to the State Government Tammy Danagogo, that he couldn’t comprehend why doctors on his payroll joined their federal coworkers.
“Sequel to the ongoing strike action by the Rivers State chapter of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) over irregularities in the payment of house officer salaries by the Federal Government, the Rivers State Government hereby directs all resident doctors under the state government’s employment to call off their strike action immediately,” the statement reads.
“While the NARD has the right to strike, we believe that such action should be limited to resident doctors on the federal government’s payroll, especially because the Rivers State Government does not.
“As a result, we instruct all resident doctors in the state to call off the ongoing strike and return to work within 24 hours, or risk losing their salary and being fired.”
To this end, the Rivers State Government, having restated its position on the foregoing, will not accept any additional resident doctor strikes in the state and will be forced to apply the “No Work, No Pay” rule to striking house officers.
“As a result, we instruct all resident doctors in the state to call off the ongoing strike and return to work within 24 hours, or risk losing their salary and being fired.”
