Resident doctors have expressed their disappointment at the Federal Government’s plan to enforce a ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy against them over the ongoing strike to demand the release of Ganiyat Popoola, their kidnapped colleague.
For Ibukun Enesi, the president of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC) chapter, the prolonged captivity of Popoola, a Kaduna-based medical doctor who was kidnapped in December, means that essential workers are not essential.
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) started a seven-day nationwide warning strike on Monday to keep the security agencies and government on their toes in securing Popoola’s release.
On Thursday, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare issued a statement, to note its displeasure at the strike and announce that the Federal Government would evoke the ‘No Work, No Pay’ for the number of days doctors observed the strike.
Media Statement
— Federal Ministry of Health, NIGERIA (@Fmohnigeria) August 29, 2024
NARD’S 7-DAY WARNING STRIKE ACTION
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare wishes to express deep disappointment over the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors’ (NARD) decision to embark on a seven-day warning strike, disregarding all negotiations…
READ MORE: Kaduna-Based Doctor Ganiyat Popoola Still in Kidnappers’ Den After 8 Months
“The statement is actually disappointing. It is disappointing that that is the only response the supervising ministry of health can give to the prolonged kidnap of a member,” Enesi told FIJ while reacting to the statement on Thursday.
According to Enesi, no professional group will take the abduction of her member kindly amid the rising and unaddressed insecurity in Nigeria.
“And the resident doctors are trying to point the attention of the government to this. This doctor has been with the kidnappers, who had been given a lot of materials, for eight months, but you cannot bring out that doctor. It means essential workers are not essential. That is essentially what the government is saying,” Enesi added.
“It’s disappointing that they did not even address the main issue, nothing about them finding a solution within the shortest possible time. Nothing like that. It’s just ‘No Work, No Pay’, and saying that they are disappointed. They cannot be disappointed when someone has been in captivity for eight months. It’s really sad.”
On whether the strike would continue for seven days as originally planned, he said the government’s statement would likely trigger a meeting at the national level, where a decision would be made.
“We don’t know what will happen but, from reactions on social media so far, it’s possible that this will seal doctors’ resolve in seeing that this injustice is brought to an end. And there’s not been a time that the ‘No Work, No Pay’ has threatened resident doctors. In fact, it makes people more determined.”
READ MORE: Nigerian Doctors Down Tools, Embark on Strike to Demand Abducted Colleague’s Release
A resident doctor, who does not want to be named and is based in Lokoja, also told FIJ that the government was fond of threatening doctors with hunger, hence the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy was not surprising.
“It has always been the way the government acts. It’s like the only way they feel they can get to us is through hunger,” he said.
“This young lady has been in captivity for eight months now, and they did nothing. It’s now that we are showing our solidarity that they are saying this. As it is now, it is the executives who will determine if we will continue the strike or not.”
On August 14, the NARD had threatened to embark on this one-week nationwide strike if Popoola was not released by Monday. When the doctor did not regain freedom on that day, her colleagues kicked off the warning strike.
“We would convene a meeting and discuss with our members, but no comments for now. I can’t disclose when the meeting will be held. We will discuss with our members and you will hear from us via a communique,” Christopher Anaduaka, the secretary-general of the NARD, told FIJ on Thursday.
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