The Federal Government has agreed to pay N4.8 billion Residency Training Fund to the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) in the next seven days.
The government yesterday also agreed to clear the arrears of the consequential adjustment of the National Minimum Wage from April.
Also, the government said it has forwarded a list from 38 hospitals to the Budget office for inclusion in the Service Wide Vote, through the Federal Ministry of Health.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan.
According to the statement, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said the government resumed discussion with the striking doctors at the instruction of President Buhari.
Ngige explained that President Buhari directed him to side-step every technicality and re-commence conciliation, especially in the background of the alternative dispute resolution window, provided by the National Industrial Court, where the matter was referred to under the instrument of article 17 of the Trade Disputes Act.
“The National Industrial Court in its wisdom advised that NARD should keep talking with its employers. So we are tapping into this widow of an alternative dispute resolution to ameliorate this situation that is already bad,” he added.
The agreement may have laid the foundation for the peaceful resolution of the ongoing strike by NARD which commenced on August 1, 2021.
The FG says it will begin implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding from tomorrow.
The agreement followed the intervention of the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association led by Prof Innocent Uja.
At the renewed meeting on Friday, all the consolidated 12-point demand by NARD, the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) and other affiliates of NMA were reportedly resolved.
