Resident doctors, FG return to negotiation table

Ogunsakin Mustapha
3 Min Read

By Olalekan Awojodu
Abuja

Respite appears to be in sight for Nigerians as the striking Resident Doctors and the Federal government on Wednesday returned to the negotiation table that may put an end to the prolonged work to rule by the medical personnel.

Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN confirmed this to a National Industrial Court Judge that his clients have agreed to meet with the Federal government on the dispute that led to the strike with a to find a common ground.

The senior lawyer who appeared before Justice Bashar Alkali in respect of the suit the federal government instituted against the doctors told the Judge that a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed today by the doctors and agents of the federal government.

This was after the government and the doctors had argued on the contempt charges filed against the doctors and the challenge to jurisdiction of the court to entertain the contempt proceeding.

Justice Alkali who was highly delighted upon being told of the resolution to go back to the negotiation table pleaded with the two parties to put national interest into consideration in the fresh efforts to broker peace.

The Judge subsequently fixed Friday September 17 for the parties to report back on the resolution of the dispute.

Falana in an interview later with our correspondent said that the strike action may be laid to rest once the federal government and the doctors ironed out their differences amicably

“There is an agreement that was not signed by our client. We’ve studied the agreement and we have advised our client that since there is a clause in it that nobody shall be penalized or sanctioned for participating in the industrial action, we believe that there should be no inhibition in signing the agreement trusting that there would be good faith on the path of the government so that we can put this matter behind us.”

“So we want to be on our way to go and sign our aspects of the agreement and we are hopeful that a common ground will be taken today”

It will be recalled that the Resident Doctors in the country has been on nationwide strike action to back up their demand for better remuneration and improvement in the hospital facilities.

Dear readers, we really need your support to keep on serving you with authoritative, truthful, and juicy stories everyday. For your support, please reach out to the editor @gavelinternational66@gmail.com

Share This Article