The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has said that more than 2,000 of its members are yet to be paid arrears of the 25–35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), despite claims by the Federal Government that the outstanding payments have been settled.
NARD’s National President, Dr Mohammad Suleman, disclosed this during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television on Friday.
Responding to the Federal Government’s assertion that seven out of the 19 demands by the association had been statutorily addressed, including the full payment of seven months’ arrears of the CONMESS adjustment, Suleman said some doctors were still unpaid.
“On the seven months’ arrears of 25–35 per cent, we still have over 2,000, almost 3,000 of our members who are yet to be paid those arrears,” he said.
READ ALSO: Court Bars Resident Doctors From Embarking On Planned Strike
He explained that the issue of the arrears had repeatedly been subjected to delays linked to service-wide vote provisions, stressing that doctors should not have to wait for special interventions before their entitlements are captured in the budget.
“In 2023, it was said to be put inside the service-wide vote if it wasn’t paid. In 2024, it was put in the service-wide vote; in 2025, it was again put there.
“The President had to make special provision when doctors agitated for that money to be paid.
“Are we saying these arrears have to go through that route of waiting for service-wide vote after service-wide vote and waiting for the President of the country to specifically intervene before they are captured in the budget?” Suleman said.
Ongoing FG Talks
The NARD president confirmed that discussions were ongoing with the Federal Government and the Ministry of Health, expressing hope that progress would be made before the weekend.
“Right now, we are in discussions with the Federal Government team. I would hope that from tonight to tomorrow, to Sunday, a lot of things are going to be done in the proper way.
“So that the National Executive Council will now look at it, not in the context of court injunctions and ‘no work, no pay,’ but in the context of what has been done and the evidence that good faith is on the table,” he said.
‘Unshaken Resolve’
Suleman said the association remained resolute despite a court injunction restraining it from embarking on its planned industrial action.
“I am making it very clear that the resolve of our members is not shaken by all these. All these were factored into the decision to embark on this strike,” he said.
Asked whether the association would still proceed with the nationwide strike scheduled to begin on Monday, Suleman said the final decision rested with the union’s leadership.
“Unless the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors says otherwise,” he stated.
On the issue of compliance with the court order, he questioned whether the plight of doctors and patients should be ignored.
“Are we ignoring the sufferings that doctors are going through in this country? Are we ignoring the suffering that patients go through because doctors are exhausted, frustrated and have difficulties executing their jobs?” he asked.
Court Injunction
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja ordered NARD and its members not to proceed with the strike scheduled for January 12.
The order, granted by Justice Emmanuel Subilim, followed a motion filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation after submissions by the Ministry of Justice.
Despite the injunction, NARD had announced plans to resume a total, indefinite and complete strike, citing the Federal Government’s failure to implement agreements in a Memorandum of Understanding signed after a previous strike ended on November 29.
Source: Channels TV
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