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Resident Doctors Threaten Fresh Strike, August 17
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), at the weekend, extended the ultimatum given to the Federal Government to meet its demands by another three weeks.
The new deadline is expected to elapse on the 17th of August, after which the doctors will resume its indefinite strike, if its demands remain unmet.
The association complained bitterly about the lack of commitment on the part of the government to honour its promises shortly after the doctors’ association called off its strike on June 22.
It particularly noted that although the Covid-19 hazard allowance payment started, but it was subsequently abandoned abruptly immediately the doctors suspended the strike.
The doctors also complained that the medical residency training funding, although captured in the revised 2020 budget, is yet to commence.
The President of NARD, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, disclosed this in Abuja at a briefing after its extraordinary virtual National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which was attended by over 200 members of the association across the country.
He said, “NEC demands that various hospitals should be provided with the necessary infrastructures and sustain the provision of the needed personal protective equipment and funding of various tertiary health institutions.
“Though the medical residency training funding has been captured in the revised 2020 budget and signed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the implementation of the funding is yet to commence.
“The Covid-19 hazard allowance payment was commenced and subsequently abandoned abruptly immediately the NARD strike was suspended. The initial intervention of the House Committee on Insurance in addressing the non-payment/non-enrolment of resident doctors for life insurance which has now been abandoned.
“We note with dismay the non-payment of the salary shortfall for 2014-2016, despite promises by several stakeholders to intervene which led to suspending the strike.
“On the State Tertiary Health Institution, NEC noted the non-implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act by some state governments and poor remuneration of state health workers. NEC observed non-payment of arrears of consequential adjustment of new minimum wage to her members.
“NEC demands immediate removal of the Chief Medical Director of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Prof Henry Ugboma for fraud, administrative rascality, unnecessary onslaught/victimization and abuse of office of the CMD.
“We also demand the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the suspended University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital Association of Resident Doctors executive members led by Dr. Solomon Amadi.”
Sokomba added, “NEC demands that the various hospitals should be provided with the funds they need to run the hospitals and sustain the provision of the needed personal protective equipment (PPE) in the hospitals.
“We demand the immediate implementation and funding of the Medical Residency Training Act as agreed.
“NARD demands payment of salary shortfall to her members. We also demand payment of Covid-19 hazard allowance to her members which is now long overdue.
“NARD calls on the Federal Government and National Assembly to investigate and look into the non-enrolment of health care workers for the Group Life Insurance, and non-payment of death-in-service benefit to the next of kin of our fallen heroes despite claims of payment to insurance companies.
“NEC demands immediate payment of the arrears of consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage owed some doctors. NARD calls on the state government to implement the Medical Residency Training Act and to ensure adequate remuneration of state health workers.
“NEC resolved to extend the suspension of our strike action by 3-weeks to give government time to address our demands, failure of which will leave us with no choice other than to resume the suspended strike on Monday, the 17th of August, 2020.”
Recall that on the 22nd of June, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) suspended its indefinite strike, which started on June 15.
After deliberations with its National Executive Council (NEC), the association gave the Federal Government four weeks to make good its promises.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.