By Adeola Ogunlade
The National Executive Council of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has concluded plans to meet with the leadership of the National Assembly today over the delay in the payment of Salaries of House officers and some resident doctors across the country.
This was stated in a communique signed by The National President of NARD, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi and the Secretary General, Dr Jerry lsogun issued recently at the End of the Virtual Emergency National Executive Council of NARD via Online Meeting.
According to the association, NEC demands the payment of all minimum wage and other salary arrears to our members nationwide without further delay.
They noted that we want immediate implementation of 50% of consolidated basic Salary as Hazard allowance for all healthcare workers and immediate payment of the Medical Residency Fund for 2021 with the arrears of 2019 and 2020 inclusive.
They added that all training institutions be directed to stop the collection of Bench fee from our members since it was not captured in the Residency Training Fund as approved.
“The Federal Government meet with immediate effect, all the agreements in the Memorandum of Terms of Settlement (MOTOS) signed on 21st of April, 2020”.
“That all clinical health workers be considered for COVID-19 vaccination and the other issues affecting efficient health care delivery in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic including adequate provision of PPEs be addressed”, they said.
The association posited that we wish to remind you that some of these issues have lingered on for so long and had culminated in a nationwide industrial action on 14th September 2020 which was later suspended to give room for further negotiations and possible settlement”.
“In furtherance to the above, the NEC has unanimously resolved to proceed on a recess to reappraise the outcomes of the meeting scheduled for Tuesday 9th March on the delay in the payment of their members’ salaries following which industrial Harmony cannot be guaranteed if the above demands are not acceded to”, they said .