The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has accused the Federal Government of consistently disregarding workers’ rights and using committees as tools to delay meaningful action, insisting that none of its demands have been met despite claims by the Ministry of Labour.

In a strongly worded statement jointly signed by its President, Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, Secretary General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr. Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, NARD said it was compelled to “set the record straight” after the Ministry issued what the association described as a misleading press statement on November 19.

According to the association, the Ministry’s claim that a “high percentage” of the doctors’ demands had been met is “not only inaccurate but a deliberate attempt to mislead the Nigerian public and undermine the legitimate struggle of our members.”

NARD stated that following the review of government actions at its Extraordinary NEC meeting of November 17, it found that “not a single one of our 19 core demands has been fully and verifiably met.”

The association said the government’s so-called progress amounted to “unfulfilled promises, uncommenced payments, and newly formed committees—a familiar cycle of delay and deception.”

NARD dismissed the Ministry’s claim that payments for the 25%/35% CONMESS review and 2024 accoutrement allowances had “commenced,” insisting that its members across the country “have not received these payments.”

It said what the Ministry described amounted to “an anticipation of action, not action itself,” stressing that “an announcement of intent is not a substitute for a credited salary.”

The group added that the Ministry’s admission of “working to reconcile” omitted payments showed the underlying problem remained unsolved.

The association also criticised the Ministry for saying it was “compiling lists” of arrears and allowances for hospitals such as FTH Lokoja, FMC Owo and UITH. It said the fact that the government was still compiling lists “after years of dialogue confirms our central grievance: a crippling lack of urgency and implementation.”

On issues of manpower shortages, casualisation of doctors and the disengagement of doctors at FTH Lokoja, NARD rejected the Ministry’s claim that several committees had been set up to address them. “Constituting a committee is not a resolution; it is often a bureaucratic tool for indefinite postponement,” the statement read.

“Our demand is the immediate reinstatement of our colleagues in Lokoja and the concrete implementation of the one-for-one replacement policy to curb burnout—not another talking shop.”

NARD also countered the Minister’s claim that it refused to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, saying the MoU lacked credibility. “We refuse to sign any MoU built on a foundation of unfulfilled promises and lacking clear, binding, time-bound deliverables.

An MoU that does not guarantee immediate and verifiable action is not worth the paper it is written on,” the association said.

The association reaffirmed that the nationwide indefinite strike, which began on November 1, would continue until the government meets its minimum conditions.

These include the immediate reinstatement of the five disengaged doctors at FTH Lokoja with full compensation, the release and payment of all corrected professional allowances and outstanding arrears, full implementation of the one-for-one replacement policy and specialist allowances, and the urgent resolution of all other pending issues.

NARD accused the Ministry of hypocrisy, alleging that it routinely violated agreed timelines while lecturing unions on labour law compliance. “Our patience has been exhausted by years of conciliatory meetings that yield nothing but press releases filled with hollow victories,” it said. While maintaining openness to dialogue, the association insisted that discussions must now be result-oriented and backed by verifiable action.

“We call on the government to shift energy from crafting misleading press statements to undertaking the concrete actions required to resolve this crisis. The health of our nation hangs in the balance, and responsibility rests squarely with the government.” (TRIBUNE)