Shock as resident doctors begin strike over salaries

Come back to work, serve argues

Restorative Council: avert wrongdoing

The Federal Government the previous evening communicated "profound stun and express disillusionment as occupant specialists started yesterday an uncertain strike to squeeze home their interest for better pay.

The activity is coming three days after their authority marked a reminder of terms of settlement with the administration.

Service of Labor and Employment representative Samuel Olowookere, in an announcement, said the Federal Government was disapointed over the sudden u-turn by the authority of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD ) after it had achieved a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Federal Ministry of Health on its six-point request.

He included: "Clergyman of Labor and Employment Senator Chris Ngige, "in exercise of the forces presented on him by the Trade Dispute Act 2004, has captured the continuous strike by NARD. Thusly, the meeting amongst NARD and the legislature prior planned for November 2 is presently slated for Wednesday, September 6, 2017 (tomorrow) by twelve at the Conference Room of the Minister of Labor and Employment. "

"All partners are beseeched to go to this critical meeting. The wellbeing and prosperity of Nigerians are cardinal to President Buhari's organization. Henceforth, every measure vital might be taken to reestablish commonality".

Ascending from their National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, the specialists said they were dismissing the terms of settlement, which would have seen the strike being suspended.

In any case, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) cautioned specialists on temporary job not to join the strike.

They hazard rehashing their program, in the event that they do, it said.

In a notice of strike sent to boss medicinal chiefs and restorative executives of doctor's facilities and marked by the President and Secretary General, Dr. Onyebueze John and Dr. Aneke Emmanuel, the occupant specialists said they dismissed the terms, yet did not give any explanation behind doing as such.

The letter peruses: "The National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria, ascending from her remarkable National Executive Council (NEC) meeting which hung on Sunday, third September 2017 at Parkview Hotels, Abuja, dismissed the Memorandum of terms of settlement from government on the things of her interest for strike and set out to continue on the proposed national, add up to and inconclusive hit with impact from 8am Monday, fourth September 2017."

A message from the President of the Resident Doctors likewise peruses: "Ascending from our NEC meeting which began by 7pm yesterday (Sunday) and finished 3am today (Monday), NARD set out to dismiss the promissory offer from government and continue on add up to and uncertain strike until the point when all things in her request list are settled by government."

The specialists are challenging what they depicted as the administration's inability to:

pay our compensation deficiency of 2016 and January to May 2017;

amend the compensation setback from August 2017;

circularize House Officers' entrance point;

amend the stagnation of advancement of our individuals and legitimately put them on their proper review level;

enlist and catch our individuals on the Integrated Personnel Payment Information System (IPPIS) and

financial plan, deduct and dispatch both the business' and representatives' benefits commitments to our retirement investment account since 2013.

After a meeting between the administration's delegates and authorities of the specialists' affiliation and the Nigeria Medical Association on Thursday, the two gatherings marked an update of terms of assention, bringing up that a portion of the issues being whined about by the affiliation were at that point being tended to by the legislature.

The update was marked by the Minister of Labor and Employment, Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole. Pastor of State, Labor and Employment, Prof. Stephen Ocheni, National President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Prof. Mike O. Ogirima, National Association of Resident Doctors President Onyebueze John and of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission Chairman Richard Egbule.

Different signatories are delegates of Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the Budget Office of the Federation.

The update peruses: "The meeting noticed that some Federal Tertiary Health Institutions (FHTI) have paid a level of compensations to Resident Doctors and are thusly falling behind financially of pay installments to individuals from NARD and Honorary Consultants.

"It was additionally noticed that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) had begun the way toward paying the deficit of pay rates owed in groups. It was subsequently reasoned that the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) ought to forward the rundown of the beneficiary FHTI to the Honorable Minister of Health to guarantee that the discharged reserve was utilized for its planned reason. The installment for other FHTI not caught to be executed before the finish of October 2017."

On deficit in pay rates, it was concurred that "the Director Hospital Services is to address a round/letter to the Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and state in that that the discharged assets ought to be utilized exclusively for pay rates and shortages. The Federal Ministry of Finance ought to guarantee that month to month pay rates are ponied up all required funds.

"Reference was made to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) came to at the seventh Senate in 2014, and House of Representatives with the Speaker managing in 2016, where parties consented to utilize the quantum of monies contained in CONHESS 9:4 for CONMESS 1:1.

"It was reasoned that impact ought to be given to past Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) came to on this issue so CONHESS 9:4 would be in equality with CONMESS 1:1. The Chairman NSIWC to get this circularized, in the wake of getting the quantum from FMoH. All issues on this issue ought to be settled before the readiness of 2018 Budget is finished up.

"Issues of skipping and matters auxiliary thereto were talked about. The meeting noticed that the Federal Ministry of Health had requested against the decision of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) on skipping and that a date has been given by the Court of Appeal for hearing in March, 2018.

"It was additionally noticed that a noteworthy issue is the uncalled for situations on suitable Salary Grade Levels. It was presumed that a legitimate rule ought to be given by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) and that Item 4 of the MoU of December 16, 2013 ought to be embraced.

"The Item 4 expresses that 'the FMoH, NSIWC, NMA ought to critically survey the NMA's proposition on skipping of CONTISS 10/CONHESS10/COMESS 2 in the new Scheme of Service with a view to correcting it to mirror the suspension of the round on unapproved skipping of likeness CONMESS 2 for medicinal specialists in the Public Service.

"The altered proposition might be sent to the HCSF through the FMoH for a forward introduction to the expected National Council on Establishment (NCE) on 24th January, 2014 in Ilorin." In perspective of this prior position, it was inferred that the Honorable Minister of Health (HMoH) should drive this issue and that no round ought to be issued on the issue until the point that it is finished up by the HMoH.

"In perspective of the normal meeting of the Council of Establishment, the finish of October was given as the provisional time point of confinement to close the task by the FMoH and Office of the HCSF. Healing facilities that are yet to execute skipping for specialists are to initiate and from this time forward, advancements ought to be as per the Public Service Rules.

"In view of the data given by the individuals from NARD, it was noticed that lone 18 Federal Tertiary Health Institutions had so far presented their Nominal Roll. The meeting inferred that NARD individuals ought to be on the IPPIS stage and that the CMDs and also the MDs ought to be asked for by the FMoH to present their Nominal Roll to the Office of the Accountant General of The Federation (OAGF) and duplicate to the FMoH and FML&E at the latest September 15, 2017. It was concurred that every single Resident Doctor ought to be caught on IPPIS stage before the finish of October 2017.

"It was reasoned that NARD individuals are on pensionable arrangement and, thusly, the FMoH in conjunction with OAGF and Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) should find a way to guarantee that sufficient budgetary distributions are made to cover the Pension prerequisites of NARD individuals.

"Moreover, FMoH should issue a letter in such manner to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation who might compare with the Budget Office of the Federation for essential activity, as the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) had in a letter of February 12, 2015, Ref.PENCOM/INSP/C&E/CCPA/66/15/1167 to the Honorable Minister of Health avowed that individuals from NARD are "representatives".

"In perspective of the previous terms of settlement, NARD consented to meet in an Emergency Session before Monday, September 4, 2017, for the introduction of this Memorandum to her National Executive Council with a view to deflecting the planned strike."