The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), University of Port Harcourt chapter, has joined its national body in demanding the full implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Federal Government, warning that it may resume a nationwide strike despite a restraining court order.
The MoU, anchored on NARD’s nineteen-point demands, addresses critical issues relating to welfare, remuneration, and professional practice affecting resident doctors across Nigeria.
On Friday, Justice Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, issued an order restraining NARD and its members from embarking on the strike scheduled to commence on Monday, January 12, 2026. The order followed a motion ex parte filed by the Federal Government through the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), argued by the Director of Civil Litigation at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Maimuna Lami Shiru.
However, speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, the Uniport NARD President, Dr. Ezinne Kalu, said the union had earlier suspended its strike in November 2025 in good faith, trusting that the Federal Government would implement the MoU.
“We suspended our strike last November on the understanding that the MoU signed with NARD would be fully implemented by the Federal Government. Unfortunately, this has not happened,” she said.
Dr. Kalu explained that the association reconvened its Extraordinary National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting on January 2, 2026, to review government compliance with the agreement. The meeting, she noted, produced a communiqué signed by the National President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman; General Secretary, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim; and Publicity Secretary, Abdulmajid Ibrahim.
According to the communiqué, the council expressed serious concern over several unresolved issues, including the redeployment of five disengaged resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, in defiance of committee recommendations; delays in promotions and salary arrears; partial implementation of the Professional Allowance Table; ambiguity in entry-level placements; and continued exclusion from Specialist Allowance payments.
Other concerns include delayed House Officers’ salaries, re-categorisation of membership certificates, slow regulation of locum engagements, prolonged work hours, stalled Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations, unpaid salaries and allowances across several institutions, unresolved arrears affecting about 40 per cent of members, poor infrastructure and obsolete medical equipment, delays in Special Pension Benefits, and sluggish implementation of other agreed demands.
The National Executive Council demanded immediate government action, including the reinstatement of the five Lokoja doctors, payment of all outstanding arrears, full implementation of the Professional Allowance Table, clarification of entry-level placements, payment of Specialist Allowances, and settlement of House Officers’ salaries.
The association warned that failure to implement the agreement would compel resident doctors to resume the previously suspended indefinite nationwide strike at 12:00 a.m. on Monday, January 12, 2026.
It directed members across 91 tertiary health institutions nationwide to withdraw services completely and indefinitely until the Federal and affected State Governments demonstrate clear and genuine commitment to addressing the demands.
NARD also instructed its leadership nationwide to commence coordinated peaceful protests should the government fail to act.
The council expressed appreciation to some government officials and institutions for their support, including Didi Esther Wilson-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Senator Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health; Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment; and Wale Edun, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance.
ADVERTISEMENTS
