The National Industrial Court (NIC) has adjourned, till September 15, a suit instituted by the Federal Government against striking doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, had taken the striking doctors to court over the abdication of their responsibilities, and the NIC summoned the doctors to explain why the “no work, no pay” rule should not be applied against them.
Due to the government’s failure to meet most of their demands, the resident doctors began an indefinite strike on August 2.
Present at the court were key members of NARD and representatives of the Ministry of Health. But officials of the Ministry of Labour and Employment were absent.
In a briefing after the case was adjourned, President of NARD, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, thank Nigerians for the show of love and empathy towards their cause, as the doctors were not unaware of the people’s sufferings due to the government’s attitude to their welfare.
His words: “It is 120 days today since we heeded your call to call off our industrial action, following the government’s memorandum of action. It is five years and 11 months since we signed the Memorandum of Terms of Settlement (MOTOS), yet the government has reneged.
“As you are aware, today, the government sued us to the NIC for adjudication. As a law-abiding association, we were in court as summoned, but the Ministry of Labour was absent, and only the Ministry of Health was present representing the Federal Government.”
He appealed to Nigerians to bear with the association because a hungry doctor is a dangerous doctor, adding: “We are hopeful that the government shall do the needful as it pertains to the welfare of our members, thus curbing the ugly incidence of brain drain.”
Okhuaihesuyi told journalists that the judiciary “is still the hope of the common Nigerian and the struggle for our rights continues.”