The Federal Government has urged the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to suspend its ongoing warning strike, assuring that steps are being taken to address the association’s concerns.
NARD initiated a seven-day warning strike in response to the abduction of their colleague, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, who has been held captive for eight months.
During a meeting with NARD leaders in Abuja, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, appealed for the strike to be called off. Patience Onuobia, the ministry’s spokesperson, conveyed this in a statement on Friday.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the safety of its citizens and highlighted ongoing efforts to resolve the issues raised by the doctors. Onyejeocha urged the doctors to consider their professional and humanitarian responsibilities, stressing the potential risks to patients’ lives due to the strike.
She also stated that President Tinubu is actively engaging with security agencies to secure the release of the kidnapped doctors and has ordered increased security around hospital facilities. Onyejeocha assured NARD that the government is working diligently to free their abducted colleagues.
The minister emphasized the President’s commitment to protecting lives and property, vowing that these conditions would not persist. She urged the doctors to reconsider the strike, noting, “This strike is well noted, but of course, you know that seven days is too much. People die within an hour if they do not have any doctor to attend to them.”
Onyejeocha expressed sympathy for the families of those kidnapped who tragically lost their lives.
NARD President, Dr. Dele Abdullahi Olaitan, explained that the warning strike was driven by frustration after repeated efforts to secure the release of their kidnapped colleagues, particularly Dr. Popoola, a breastfeeding mother of five who has been in captivity since December 27, 2023, and Dr. Fadahunsi, recently abducted in Kogi State. He stressed the need for the government to address the frequent abductions of healthcare workers and fulfill its responsibility to protect lives and properties.
