Nigeria: Doctors begin five-day warning strike on Wednesday
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has announced plans to commence a five day nationwide warning strike begins on Wednesday.
The association President Dr. Osahion Enabulele told journalists in Minna on Sunday after the National Executive Committee meeting and an Emergency Delegates Congress that it may embark on an indefinite and total strike if the federal government fail to use the window of the five day warning strike to meet all its demands.
He said the association was constrained to declare the industrial action due to the extremely poor progress in the resolution of their demands after expiration of several ultimatum issued to the Federal Government.
He lamented that unions had to resort to strike because government " seems not to appreciate the need for constructive dialogue but only respond to strike actions."
Describing the development as a sad reflection of the state of affairs in the country, the NMA President bemoaned that industrial strikes had become the routine in the country.
"For now, what we have issued as a test to the commitment of government is a warning strike. We hope the federal government would rise up to its responsibilities and use this opportunity to address the issues presented to it because if this fails, we may have no choice than to declare a total strike action,” he said.
"We feel the federal government is either taking us for a ride or the strategy being employed by us is not appreciated. Handling our issues with levity is what have led us to declare this warning strike action."
He further said that if not for the yuletide period, the association would have declared a total strike action because according to him "members felt they have been pushed to their limits but they considered the delicate period and the interest of Nigerians which they have at hand.
"The reason for the strike being five days is to give allowance to our people. Our members were agitating for a total action because they felt they have been pushed to their limit but we recognize that this is a delicate period and Nigerians need to be given some allowance during this period. We hope the federal government will utilize the opportunity to resolve the issue on ground.
"NMA has sought to evolve a new strategy of engagement believing that government would rise up to the challenge to meet up with this new reality but unfortunately, as much as we try to see how we can evolve a new strategy of engagement, we have a governance system that is extremely slow to respond to issues."
He appealed to members of the public to bear and understand with the association during the five day action and urged them to rise up and demand for accountability and answers to issues bothering the nation from government.
"Nigerians need to rise up to their responsibility, demand answers to some of these issues that are confronting our governmental system. We cannot have a government that says they are building up yet they seem to be in slumber over issues that affects fortune, destiny and value of our country.
"We have a responsibility to our members as much as we also have a responsibility to our society. We cannot allow this to continue, we have a limit to issuance of ultimatum otherwise it would seem as if we do not understand the strategy of engagement", Enabulele appealed to the public.
The congress bemoaned the abysmal six per cent health coverage of Nigerians calling on government to urgently invest more in the health of Nigerians through a Universal Health Fund.
The association stressed on the need for a government sponsored Hospital Development and Intervention Fund (HDIF) in the health industry to drive the development of modern and world class health infrastructure in Nigeria and put an end to medical tourism.
The association President Dr. Osahion Enabulele told journalists in Minna on Sunday after the National Executive Committee meeting and an Emergency Delegates Congress that it may embark on an indefinite and total strike if the federal government fail to use the window of the five day warning strike to meet all its demands.
He said the association was constrained to declare the industrial action due to the extremely poor progress in the resolution of their demands after expiration of several ultimatum issued to the Federal Government.
He lamented that unions had to resort to strike because government " seems not to appreciate the need for constructive dialogue but only respond to strike actions."
Describing the development as a sad reflection of the state of affairs in the country, the NMA President bemoaned that industrial strikes had become the routine in the country.
"For now, what we have issued as a test to the commitment of government is a warning strike. We hope the federal government would rise up to its responsibilities and use this opportunity to address the issues presented to it because if this fails, we may have no choice than to declare a total strike action,” he said.
"We feel the federal government is either taking us for a ride or the strategy being employed by us is not appreciated. Handling our issues with levity is what have led us to declare this warning strike action."
He further said that if not for the yuletide period, the association would have declared a total strike action because according to him "members felt they have been pushed to their limits but they considered the delicate period and the interest of Nigerians which they have at hand.
"The reason for the strike being five days is to give allowance to our people. Our members were agitating for a total action because they felt they have been pushed to their limit but we recognize that this is a delicate period and Nigerians need to be given some allowance during this period. We hope the federal government will utilize the opportunity to resolve the issue on ground.
"NMA has sought to evolve a new strategy of engagement believing that government would rise up to the challenge to meet up with this new reality but unfortunately, as much as we try to see how we can evolve a new strategy of engagement, we have a governance system that is extremely slow to respond to issues."
He appealed to members of the public to bear and understand with the association during the five day action and urged them to rise up and demand for accountability and answers to issues bothering the nation from government.
"Nigerians need to rise up to their responsibility, demand answers to some of these issues that are confronting our governmental system. We cannot have a government that says they are building up yet they seem to be in slumber over issues that affects fortune, destiny and value of our country.
"We have a responsibility to our members as much as we also have a responsibility to our society. We cannot allow this to continue, we have a limit to issuance of ultimatum otherwise it would seem as if we do not understand the strategy of engagement", Enabulele appealed to the public.
The congress bemoaned the abysmal six per cent health coverage of Nigerians calling on government to urgently invest more in the health of Nigerians through a Universal Health Fund.
The association stressed on the need for a government sponsored Hospital Development and Intervention Fund (HDIF) in the health industry to drive the development of modern and world class health infrastructure in Nigeria and put an end to medical tourism.
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