NARD says no going back on 21-day ultimatum

According to him, no meaningful agreement has been reached at the series of on-going meetings between the association and the government.

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) says there is no going back on the 21-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government unless the association’s demands are met.

Dr Eugene Uhuaba, the Public Relations Officer of NARD, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday that the association’s demands had not been met.

According to him, no meaningful agreement has been reached at the series of on-going meetings between the association and the government.

NAN reports that NARD, had on April 4, given the government a 21-day notice to meet their demands or face an indefinite strike.

Their demands include payment of members’ salaries up to date and appropriate placement of members in states and federal tertiary hospitals across the nation.

Others are the reversal of sacked members in some hospitals as well as appropriate funding of residency training.

The President of NARD, Dr Muhammad Askira, had in Abuja, told newsmen that the ultimatum took effect from April 4.

"We had series of meetings and billed to have more in coming weeks. While the ultimatum still stands, collective efforts are ongoing to reach reasonable conclusions.

"The government has shown the readiness to tackle some of the issues, but we wait to complete resolution of our demands.

"But so far, we have not had any meaningful conclusions and until the ultimatum lapses, we are not going back on decisions to go on strike.

"What we need is result and the essence of the ultimatum is to bring about palpable results."