Court Begins Sitting To Decide Tussle Between Nigerian Government, Striking Doctors

According to a report by SaharaReporters, the legal tussle between the striking doctors under the National Association of Resident Doctors and the Nigerian government through the Federal Ministry of Health at the National Industrial Court, Abuja, resumes today.

One of the doctors who preferred to be anonymous shared photographs with SaharaReporters on Wednesday morning.

Recall that the doctors, on August 2, commenced an indefinite strike over irregularities that included delayed payment of salaries and allowances and poor working conditions, especially with the coronavirus pandemic.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, had threatened the Dr. Osakhuesuyi Uyilawa-led NARD members that they risked being jailed if they did not call off the strike.

 In a court document obtained by SaharaReporters early this month, the Nigerian government and Federal Ministry of Health were judgment creditors while members of NARD alongside the association's president, secretary-general and Crown Prince were the defendants.

Uyilawa, at the commencement of this week, however, sounded optimistic on the matter, adding that God would fight on behalf of the doctors in the country.

“The statement was from Dr. Ngige. And doctors are still on strike. The strike goes on. And we are going to court on Wednesday to sort this out. There is a court case with National Industrial Court.

“We are heading to court, but God is the Supreme Being. And even God fights for those that cannot fight for themselves,” Uyilawa had told SaharaReporters on Monday.