The federal government has issued a warning to the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), indicating that it may enforce a ‘no work, no pay’ policy in response to their decision to initiate a seven-day warning strike.
This strike was prompted by the doctors’ frustration over the government’s failure to secure the release of one of their colleagues, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, who was kidnapped by bandits in December and has been held captive for the past eight months.
In light of the disruption caused to public hospitals nationwide by the doctors’ strike, the government expressed disappointment, stating that the issues prompting the strike were already being In response, the government pledged to implement its “no work, no pay” policy for the duration of the seven-day strike by resident doctors.
A statement from Ado Bako, Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health, clarified that “In recent months, the Ministry, in partnership with key security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), has been diligently working to secure the immediate and safe release of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola.”
The statement continued, “High-level discussions and coordinated efforts are currently in progress, and we remain optimistic that these actions will yield a positive result.”
In recent months, the Ministry, working in conjunction with relevant security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), has been dedicated to the immediate and safe rescue of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola. Ongoing high-level discussions and coordinated efforts are in progress, and we are hopeful that these initiatives will lead to a successful outcome.
The Ministry expresses deep regret over the decision to proceed with the strike action during these ongoing discussions, as we believe that maintaining dialogue is the most effective way to address any unresolved issues.
Recently, resident doctors affiliated with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) initiated a nationwide strike in response to the extended captivity of one of their members, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola.
Dr. Popoola, who served as a Registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, was abducted on December 27, 2022, alongside her husband and nephew. While her husband was released in March, both Dr. Popoola and her nephew continue to be held captive.
