NASARAWA STATE GOVERNMENT POSITION ON THE ON-GOING STRIKE ACTION BY THE ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS (ARD), NASARAWA STATE BRANCH AND THE NIGERIA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (NMA) NASARAWA STATE CHAPTER.


As the general public may be aware, the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) and the Nigeria Association (NMA) had commenced a strike action on Tuesday, 22nd June, and Monday 5th July 2010 respectively.  The strike action according to them is to press home their demand for the implementation of the new Federal Government Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) in Nasarawa State.

2.      It should be noted however, that the new salary structure which took the Federal Government over six months to start implementing is essentially meant for Federal Government Staff.

3.      However, Nasarawa State Government has remained committed to improving the working conditions of its work force.  In the light of this and Government determination to meet the yearnings of Doctors in the state, several meetings were held with officials of Association (NMA) during which Government repeatedly appealed to the Doctors to give it time to study the Circular and determine its applicability or otherwise at the state level.

4.      Unfortunately, the officials of the two associations have remained unyielding and without exhausting all avenues for the resolution of the dispute as required by labour law, called their members to embark on strike.  Surprisingly, Consultants in the state service, who are management staff, and who, ordinarily should not go on strike also decided to take part in the strike.

5.      All this unfortunate development notwithstanding Government is ever ready to listen to genuine complaints from the Doctors in the interest of industrial harmony

6.      Consequently Government remains disposed to continued discussion with the two associations.

7.      The Doctors are therefore urged to deeply reflect and reconsider their strike action in favour of realistic and amicable resolution of the unfortunate dispute.  The Association of Resident Doctors and the Nigeria Medical Association are therefore advised to call off the strike in the public interest.

8.      Meanwhile, the general public is hereby informed that a team of Medical Doctors have been put in place at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital and other hospitals in the state to provide skeletal services.
 

Alh. Usman Dubagari
Head of Civil Service
Nasarawa State