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Looming Doctors’ Strike May Not Hold – FG

There are indications that the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, may not go ahead with its planned strike, following a meeting between the officials of the … Continue reading Looming Doctors’ Strike May Not Hold – FG


There are indications that the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, may not go ahead with its planned strike, following a meeting between the officials of the association and some top government officials.

Rising from a 9-hour meeting in Abuja, the Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu, said that the Federal Government had fruitful discussions with officials of the Nigerian Medical Association and that the planned strike was no longer necessary.

“The purpose of the meeting is to avert the other strike which they (NMA) have given notice (of), and we held a successful meeting from yesterday up till this morning.”

The Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, also corroborated the claims: “The resolutions were mutually accepted, and they promised to talk to their members with a view to averting the strike. We hope that will come to past.”

The NMA President, Doctor Osahon Enabulele, in an exclusive interview with Channels Television, said that the organisation has indeed reached some understanding with the government.

He added that the government’s positions were subject to its members’ consideration, as the issues discussed at the closed door meeting would be presented before the emergency National Executive Committee meeting of the association.

The NMA had embarked on a 5-day warning strike in December 2013 to protest issues bothering on some health sector challenges, workplace condition of service for doctors and funding infrastructure and equipment upgrade of the nation’s health sector.

Uduaghan On Strike  

Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, who also attended the meeting, said that the Federal Government would not allow the proposed strike by the Nigerian Medical Association to hold.

Speaking to Channels Television’s State House Correspondent shortly after holding the consultative meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the presidential villa, the Governor said that President Jonathan had just constituted a strong negotiating team from the government’s side to meet with the national officers of the NMA, with a view to halting the looming nationwide strike.

He said that President Jonathan had looked at the issues raised by the doctors, adding that they were going to hold another meeting with the doctors’ leadership.

According to him, it is the determination of government to ensure that the strike scheduled for January 6, is averted.