FG to meet resident doctors Friday

The Federal Government and the National Association of Resident Doctors will on Friday hold a meeting to address the ongoing strike embarked upon by the doctors last week.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment spokesman, Charles Akpan, disclosed this in an statement to journalists on Thursday.

He said the parley which would hold at the ministry, will be chaired by the Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige and would be attended by resident doctors and representatives of the Federal Government.

The agreement between the FG and doctors broke down after the medical workers expressed lack of confidence in the Memorandum of Action signed with the government representatives.

The NARD had after its Executive Council meeting accused the government of insincerity and dismissed the MOA as a plot by the government to hoodwink the union.

But Ngige said the Federal Government has not only substantially met the seven-point demand by NARD, “it has also demonstrated transparency in their implementation.’’

He said the House Officers have started receiving their payments in the federal government teaching hospitals and federal medical centres across the federation.

According to him, by the close of work on Thursday, all would have been paid as the officers at the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation worked even during the Easter public holidays to effect the payment.

“We have also abolished benching in training as well as stopped the deduction of N15,000 per month from the salaries of house doctors for accommodation. We directed the refund of the deductions and the entire money is now paid to the house doctors to negotiate with the local authorities and sort out individual accommodation,” he had stated.