The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has vowed to deal with doctors who embarked on an industrial strike under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The NARD members are currently on strike over the failure of the Federal Government to honour an agreement reached with them 10 months ago.
In spite of efforts to make the doctors back down, the association remains adamant in its resolve to get the agreed working conditions met.
Speaking with Channels Television on Politics Today on Friday, Dr Ngiges accused NARD of not officially informing him before proceeding on the ongoing industrial action.
He described the strike as “nonsense” and added that he has warned his son and daughter who are medical doctors not to join.
The Labour Minister vowed to invoke his powers against the striking doctors if they do not rescind.
According to him, “Next week, I’ll escalate the issue because reconciliation has failed.
“I won’t meet them anymore because I have other things to do. I did two reconciliation yesterday. Am I going to be wasting my time with them ?
“I have other tools within the labour laws and I will do it. I invoked Section 43 of the labour laws this afternoon. I have communicated it to NARD. They will not receive money for the period they are on strike and it will never count as a period of pensionable position in their career.
“Even the International Labour Organisation supports it because they render essential services. They are not supposed to go on strike without notifying me withi 15 days before the strike.
“As we speak, I have not received any notification that is why I am invoking Section 43 of the Labour Act on withdrawal of services, right to strike and the right to protect the employer and the patients.
“Thinks will happen next week. Let them wait because they are taking government for a ride and it is wrong. They are playing with lives.
“My children are medical doctors and I have warned them not to be part of this nonsense strike.”
Ngige however, confirmed that government has taken control of the escalating covid19 cases.
Residency or postgraduate training is specifically a stage of graduate medical education
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