Business
NARD: FG Declares Strike Illegal
The Federal Government
has reiterated its position on the strike action declared by the Resident Doctors under the auspices of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) as illegal and unwarranted.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, stated this while answering questions from journalists in Abuja during the opening ceremony of a retreat recently.
Chukwu said “the strike by resident doctors was uncalled for because we were already handling the issues after our meeting with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), I still remember that the NMA gave us an ultimatum to look at certain issues and we had very long meeting with the NMA and indeed NARD participated in that meeting”.
He said there is a committee being chaired by Head of Civil Service of the Federation in which the NMA, including NARD, are well represented, stressing that the union should have exercised some patience for the committee to conclude its assignment.
Chukwu added that government understands that some of the issues have not been resolved, but the leadership of the association can do well and exercise some patience before going on strike.
The minister reminded the resident doctors that by embarking on strike peoples lives are involved appealing to the Association to really clam down and exercise some patience as all the issues will be resolved.
The Minister also directed Hospitals indebted to workers and House Officers to compile the number of months of such indebtedness and submit to the Director of Administration.
There is no induction that the Resident Doctors are ready and willing to call off the strike that has entered its tenth (10) day today as The Tide’s visited the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, shown that Nurses are discharging patients for lack of medical attention and treatment.
“Payment of tuition fees for undergraduate/postgraduate studies shall be subject to a maximum limit of $25,000.00 per semester,” the Manual states.
The expansion of international card limits also reflects growing confidence among lenders that foreign exchange liquidity has improved enough to support retail dollar transactions.
Speaking recently at the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum in Lagos, CBN Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the CBN said buying and selling activities now increasingly determine outcomes in the foreign exchange market, unlike in the past when market participants relied heavily on routine Central Bank interventions.
According to Cardoso, Nigeria’s net foreign exchange reserves have risen from just over $3 billion at the start of the reform programme to more than $40 billion, while gross reserves have climbed to about $52 billion, providing stronger confidence for investors and enabling the Central Bank to reserve interventions for periods of market stress rather than day-to-day liquidity management.
The restoration and expansion of international naira card spending limits are increasingly being seen as one of the clearest signs that the benefits of the CBN’s foreign exchange reforms are beginning to reach households, students and businesses making legitimate cross-border payments.
The Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, WEC, Dr Angela Wilkinson, disclosed this in a statement, last Thursday.
“Nigeria’s participation comes at a pivotal time as the country seeks to expand energy access, strengthen energy security, accelerate gas development and mobilise the capital required for industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
“WEC Nigeria will convene leaders from across the energy ecosystem, apply the WEC’s globally recognised Energy Trilemma framework to Nigeria’s unique context, and promote evidence-based dialogue, practical collaboration and informed policymaking.
“It will also ensure that Nigerian and broader African perspectives contribute meaningfully to global energy conversations,” she said.
Wilkinson expressed confidence that Nigeria would play a significant leadership role at the World Energy Congress scheduled for Riyadh in April 2027 and beyond.
The statement also quoted the Chairman of WEC Nigeria, Isa, as describing the country’s participation as an opportunity to deepen national and African leadership within the global energy community through practical solutions tailored to regional development priorities.
He said the platform would promote collaboration across sectors and attract sustainable investments into Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Chief Executive Officer of WEC Nigeria, Wunti, was quoted in the statement as saying that the council would connect leadership, evidence and investment to build a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system.
“This system will be capable of driving economic growth and shared prosperity.”
According to him, the platform will also connect Nigerian institutions and businesses with international knowledge, technology, partnerships and investment opportunities through the World Energy Council’s global network.
Recall that WEC, founded in 1923, is the world’s oldest independent and impartial community of energy leaders and practitioners, advancing informed, collaborative and practical action across the global energy system.