The Federal Government and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Thursday failed to reach an out-of-court agreement to end the strike action embarked upon by NARD members.
Justice Basha Alkali had advised both parties to meet ahead of the resumed hearing of their case before the National Industrial Court (NIC) of Nigeria today.
However, after over three hours of another round of meeting called by the federal government team led by Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen Chris Ngige, both parties failed to reach an understanding.
At the parley to representing the doctors were: NARD President Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi; Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Secretary-General Philips Ekpe; NARD Chairman (Communications & Communique) Dr. Julian Ojebo.
With Dr. Ngige in the Federal Government delegation Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mamman Mamuda and National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) Chairman Ekpo Nta
A source close to the meeting told The Nation that the Federal Government team refused to shift ground to accommodate the demands of NARD.
The source said: “The Federal Government refused to sign the resident doctors’ terms of settlement, and the doctors in turn refused that of the Federal Government. Both parties meet in court Friday.”
In an interview, Ngige told correspondents that the government would harmonise the old memorandum of understanding with the striking doctors.
He said: “What we propose to do was to see if we can do some addendum to that old MoU because some of the things there have been overtaken by timelines. Unfortunately we have not been able to put the Ts and dot the Is there.
“We have given them some time to go and consult with their lawyers because tomorrow is court. They have time now to go. You can see the government side is here and we are waiting for our own lawyers to come so that we will discuss.”
