₦airaland Forum

The federal government said yesterday that the ongoing standoff with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) was due to structural and policy issues rather than neglect.

A statement signed by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, quoted the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, to have said this during a programme on AIT yesterday.

In reaction, NARD dismissed any insinuation that its strike threat was politically motivated and that it was being tele-guided by opposition elements.

Salako said some of the outstanding demands of doctors were constrained by existing civil service rules and approved schemes of service.

He also revealed that, as a mark of its concern for the plight of the workers, the federal government had approved a N90 billion annual increase in health workers’ allowances.

Resident doctors recently threatened to withdraw their services at hospitals nationwide by midnight, January 12, 2026, if their outstanding demands are not met

In a statement released last weekend by the President of NARD, Dr. Mohammed Suleiman, the association had stated: “Following the E-NEC meeting, the NEC resolved to resume total indefinite, comprehensive strike–tagged, ‘No Implementation, No Going Back,’ with effect from 12th January 2026 by 12:00 am.”

However, in response, Salako said the federal government has addressed a substantial number of the doctors’ demands and was on the verge of resolving all outstanding issues.

The Minister outlined the federal government’s actions aimed at addressing resident doctors’ demands and preventing recurring strikes in the health sector.

According to the statement, Salako had affirmed the commitment of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to maintaining industrial peace and ensuring uninterrupted healthcare delivery.

Salako noted that while the government would be pleased to significantly raise health workers’ pay, it must balance such demands with obligations to other sectors, including education, security, and national infrastructure, within the limits of available revenue.

The minister said Tinubu’s administration demonstrated its commitment in November 2025 by approving an upward review of professional allowances for health workers by adding nearly N90 billion to government expenditure annually.

According to Salako, the increment covers call duty, shift duty, non-clinical duty, and rural posting allowances and was reached through joint negotiations involving all health worker groups.

He explained that past negotiations were often fragmented, with different health professional groups engaging the government separately, leading to conflicting agreements on pay parity and relativity and triggering repeated industrial actions.

To address this, Salako said the Ministry initiated and adopted a collective bargaining approach, ensuring that doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, and other health workers negotiated together.

On NARD’s demands, the Minister said the association’s requests have reduced from 19 to 9, indicating progress in talks.

On the demand for specialist allowance for resident doctors, Salako said resident doctors are specialists-in-training and that current regulations reserve specialist allowances for consultants.

The Minister added that the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission had advised against extending the allowance to residents, warning it could create similar claims from other health workers undergoing specialist training.

Salako also dismissed claims of inaction on certification issues, explaining that the National Postgraduate Medical College does not issue certificates after passing Part I examinations, a policy the Ministry cannot override.

Speaking on the controversy surrounding five resident doctors disengaged in Lokoja, the Minister said their cases arose from civil service disciplinary procedures.

He disclosed that a Ministerial review committee has recommended reinstatement for two doctors, reprimand for two others, and a fresh disciplinary hearing for one, in line with extant due process.
While acknowledging public concern over frequent industrial actions by doctors, Salako noted that such are a global phenomenon, citing similar disputes in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe.

He assured Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Labour and other stakeholders, remain committed to dialogue that would stabilise the health sector, ensure industrial harmony and prevent future disruptions to healthcare services.

Salako also dismissed claims of inaction on certification issues, explaining that the National Postgraduate Medical College does not issue certificates after passing Part I examinations, a policy the Ministry cannot override.

MoneyMan5:
Most Doctors are all greedy they don't really care about saving lives, despite the huge payment they are collecting in UK they are still asking for more money and going on strike

MoneyMan5:
Most Doctors are all greedy they don't really care about saving lives, despite the huge payment they are collecting in UK they are still asking for more money and going on strike even in the UK.

Emzedz:
All the machines used by these greedy doctors were produced by engineers yet engineers dont get paid these much.. greedy drs

PlasmaTV:
But your government officials can spend billions on medical tourism.

Stop capping jor

Putindbutt:
After the Government has reviewed your allowances by 90 billion, the 90 billion has already added more expenditure to the budget every year. That one never do you, you still asking for specialist allowances?, Resident doctors o, these are still trainees o, asking for specialist allowances?. People who are not yet consultants o. E be like these people are not normal at all.



Look at another useless demand they are asking for, Lol. How can you be asking the medical college to issue you a certificate after Part 1 examination?. I just want someone to tell me these guys are not sick, biko. How can undergraduates be asking for certificate after only passing part 1 exam?. Do you enrol to only sit for part 1 exam, is certificate not supposed to be issued after you have fully passed all the exams to the final class?. Is like law students asking for certificate after stage 1. But I get it, they want the certificate for japa, so even if they couldn't finish the post medical courses till the final class, they can use the one they have to apply for japa, very useless people.

And some ignorant people who do not know what's going on will be quick to insult the Government when these doctors threaten the Govt with strike. They don't know that many of their demands are unreasonable and useless. But because they know the people are always sympathetic to them, they use that opportunity to exploit their crazy demands.

Doctors and lecturers be acting as if they're the only two professions we have in the country, always threatening the Govt with crazy demands. The Govt should also learn to sack them and replace them with those willing to work. Other professions do not disturb the country like these two greedy professions

SlavaUkraini:
Then expect more of them to Japa

Newton1045:
U are highly pained.
House representatives eat, far more than these in a month. Pull the doctors down, maybe Ur own will go up.

Putindbutt:
After the Government has reviewed your allowances by 90 billion, the 90 billion has already added more expenditure to the budget every year. That one never do you, you still asking for specialist allowances?, Resident doctors o, these are still trainees o, asking for specialist allowances?. People who are not yet consultants o. E be like these people are not normal at all.



Look at another useless demand they are asking for, Lol. How can you be asking the medical college to issue you a certificate after Part 1 examination?. I just want someone to tell me these guys are not sick, biko. How can undergraduates be asking for certificate after only passing part 1 exam?. Do you enrol to only sit for part 1 exam, is certificate not supposed to be issued after you have fully passed all the exams to the final class?. Is like law students asking for certificate after stage 1. But I get it, they want the certificate for japa, so even if they couldn't finish the post medical courses till the final class, they can use the one they have to apply for japa, very useless people.

And some ignorant people who do not know what's going on will be quick to insult the Government when these doctors threaten the Govt with strike. They don't know that many of their demands are unreasonable and useless. But because they know the people are always sympathetic to them, they use that opportunity to exploit their crazy demands.

Doctors and lecturers be acting as if they're the only two professions we have in the country, always threatening the Govt with crazy demands. The Govt should also learn to sack them and replace them with those willing to work. Other professions do not disturb the country like these two greedy professions

Corporate2020:
Greedy thieves. Doctors are the greediest people on earth. From UK to US, Germany, Australia, doctors are always on strike despite earning too much compared to other professionals.

drstranged:
You're obviously the very ignorant one here. I probably would have glossed over your ignorance but I'd just be merciful to address a couple and enlighten you. Calling medical graduates doing a residency programme as undergraduates is complete lack of knowledge from your part. If a PhD holder can be classed as a postgraduate, then calling resident doctors who are way above that level as undergraduates is utterly ignorant.
As per the certificates, maybe you don't know what obtains in other countries including the UK who issue MRCS or MRCP certificates for their equivalent part 1 programmes. These are called membership certificates and are well in line with their demands. It's already being implemented even in all West African countries except Nigeria which is embarrassing. I don't have the energy to banter childish arguments with you. Before you make more ignorant posts please enlighten yourself further.

PlasmaTV:
But your government officials can spend billions on medical tourism.

Stop capping jor

Putindbutt:
After the Government has reviewed your allowances by 90 billion, the 90 billion has already added more expenditure to the budget every year. That one never do you, you still asking for specialist allowances?, Resident doctors o, these are still trainees o, asking for specialist allowances?. People who are not yet consultants o. E be like these people are not normal at all.



Look at another useless demand they are asking for, Lol. How can you be asking the medical college to issue you a certificate after Part 1 examination?. I just want someone to tell me these guys are not sick, biko. How can undergraduates be asking for certificate after only passing part 1 exam?. Do you enrol to only sit for part 1 exam, is certificate not supposed to be issued after you have fully passed all the exams to the final class?. Is like law students asking for certificate after stage 1. But I get it, they want the certificate for japa, so even if they couldn't finish the post medical courses till the final class, they can use the one they have to apply for japa, very useless people.

And some ignorant people who do not know what's going on will be quick to insult the Government when these doctors threaten the Govt with strike. They don't know that many of their demands are unreasonable and useless. But because they know the people are always sympathetic to them, they use that opportunity to exploit their crazy demands.

Doctors and lecturers be acting as if they're the only two professions we have in the country, always threatening the Govt with crazy demands. The Govt should also learn to sack them and replace them with those willing to work. Other professions do not disturb the country like these two greedy professions

kinguwem:
Categorization of the membership certificate as Category B (specialist cadre) is what obtains in most West African African countries until recently when the MDCN downgraded it to category C without any obvious reason. A senior resident is a specialist & is entitled to specialist allowance.

Globally there's scarcity of human resources for health. And one of the pull factor is good remuneration. As long as the remuneration is poor, the brain drain will never be reversed. The country cannot claim to have done enough, if basic allowances of doctors cannot be sorted out when far more resources are used to fund the allowances of politicians that don't contribute much to the wellbeing of the people.