By John Ikani
Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has disclosed that the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has waded into the industrial face-off between the National Association of Medical Doctors (NARD) and the Federal Government.
The minister disclosed this while fielding questions from correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja on Thursday.
Ngige also said he will lead a federal government delegation to meet all the critical stakeholders in the medical sector in Abuja today (Friday).
While describing the resumed strike as illegal and injurious to the nation at a time the country was battling with the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Ngige reiterated that the government would go ahead to invoke the ‘no work, no pay’ rule on the doctors.
He further lamented that it was illegal for the doctors to go on strike without giving adequate notice to the authorities, dismissing NARD’s claims that it merely resumed a suspended strike.
