Strikes: FG Meets Resident Doctors, Today …Parleys With ASUU,’Morrow

The Federal Government will meet with the leadership of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) n Abuja, today.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, who convened the meeting said it would hold at 12 noon on September 6 in place of November 2 as earlier planned.
Ngige explained in a statement last Monday that the doctors had reached an agreement with the Federal Ministry of Health on their six-point demand with timelines duly signed.
He, however, expressed disappointment and shock at what he described as the “sudden U-turn” by the leadership of the association and asked them to go back to work.
“In view of this unfortunate development, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Trade Dispute Act 2004, has apprehended the ongoing strike by NARD,” said the statement signed by the Deputy Director of Press at the ministry, Samuel Olowookere.
“Consequently, the meeting between NARD and government earlier scheduled for November 2, 2017, is now convened for Wednesday, September 6 by 12 noon at the Conference Room of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment.
“All stakeholders are implored to attend this crucial conciliation meeting. The health and well-being of Nigerians are cardinal to President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. Hence, every measure necessary shall be taken to restore normalcy.”
The meeting was reconvened hours after the leadership of the association announced the commencement of a nationwide industrial action.
The decision was reached at the doctors’ National Executive Council meeting which lasted from 7:00 pm on Sunday until the early hours of Monday.
The doctors vowed that they would not end the strike until all their demands were met by the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) teams, will, tomorrow, hold a crucial meeting to try and resolve issues which gave rise to the ongoing strike by the lecturers.
Tomorrow’s meeting, if held, will be exactly a week since the lecturers refused to show up for a meeting with the government delegation, saying such meeting was “unnecessary.”
The meeting is at the instance of the Ministers of Labour and Education and was communicated to ASUU in the early hours of yesterday, it was learnt.
Persons expected to be at tomorrow’s meeting are the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
In an interview with newsmen, yesterday, the President of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi confirmed the meeting.
“We just received the notification of the meeting,” he said in a telephone interview, yesterday morning, adding, “Until Thursday, that is when we can say what would happen but we have been invited for the meeting.”
A National Executive Council meeting of ASUU held last week had reviewed the government’s initial offer to some of the demands of the lecturers.
At that meeting, the lecturers resolved to proceed with the strike which commenced on August 13.
According to a top ASUU official who pleaded anonymity, the lecturers rejected the Federal Government’s offer due to lack of “trust.”
“Lecturers were not comfortable with the Federal Government’s offer because previous promises failed,” the source said, seeking anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to the media.
“So, it was better to solve all once and for all, so as not to be deceived again.”
The Federal Government had reportedly offered to pay N23billion and a monthly payment of N1.5billion pending the outcome of the forensic audit being carried out by the Ministry of Finance on various universities.
Some of the demands of the lecturers include payment of shortfall in salaries, universities to be allowed to manage their internal revenue independently and exemption of universities from the Treasury Single Account (TSA).