A day after the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) rejected the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) presented by the Federal Government, the National Industrial Court in Abuja has ordered the association to suspend its ongoing strike.
Justice John Targema gave the order on Monday in an ex-parte application by the Federal Government.
He ruled: “It is hereby ordered that claimant/applicant and the defendant/respondent suspend all forms of hostilities forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
The NARD National President, Dr Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, announced the rejection of the new MoU at the end of a closed door meeting with the federal government and other relevant stakeholders on Sunday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) led the striking doctors to a meeting summoned at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari aimed at resolving the ongoing strike by doctors across the country.
The resident doctors embarked on an indefinite strike on August 1 to press home the issues of agitation amongst their members.
It would also be recalled that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, had on August 13, handed over the trade dispute between the federal government and NARD to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for adjudication.
According to Uyilawa, NARD had refused to sign the MoU that was brokered by its parent body, the NMA, and the federal government due to an undisclosed clause.
“We rejected the MoU, we didn’t sign it because we feel we are being punished for the failures of those in government,” he said.
He said the nationwide strike would continue and that they would proceed with the court case.
He however added that NARD leadership has to present the new MoU to its members before he could sign the document.
On his part, Ngige said that all other unions in the negotiation including the NMA and the Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria have signed the new agreement.