Governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have urged members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to suspend their ongoing strike which is taking a toll on healthcare delivery to Nigerians.
The APC governors also suggested negotiation with individual state governments while issues affecting resident doctors in federal establishments should be negotiated with the relevant structures of the Federal Government.
Resident doctors last Monday began an indefinite nationwide strike to press home their demands for improved conditions, payment of arrears of salaries ranging between 2 and 19 months by some state governments, failure to domesticate Medical Residency Training (MRT) Act 2017 in states, among others.
BusinessDay gathered that the ongoing indefinite strike by NARD is dispute largely with state governments and specifically, Abia, Imo, Ondo and Ekiti States which have been identified as the states with poor conditions for the doctors.
The APC governors under the umbrella of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) at the end of their meeting in Abuja adopted the initiative of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to hold consultations with the leadership of the resident doctors and the Federal Government.
Read also: Doctors’ frequent strikes leading to avoidable deaths in Nigeria – Lukman
The PGF in its resolutions signed by the chairman and governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku-Bagudu, reaffirmed support for the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee under the leadership of Governor Mai-Mala Buni of Yobe State and called on all party members and leaders to support the committee to conclude the task of re-organising the leadership of the party.
The forum expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for his leadership and further reaffirmed support for the implementation of initiatives of the APC-led Federal Government in line with provisions of the party manifesto.
“The meeting formally welcomed Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle as the 22nd member of the forum. The forum also congratulated Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State for being awarded the second highest national honour of de Grand Dans I’Ordre of Niger Republic, which is equivalent to Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) in Nigeria.
The forum also commiserated with Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State on the death of his father, Emmanuel Adesanya Abiodun.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
