Court Orders  Doctors To Resume Work

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) has ordered the striking doctors under the auspices of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to resume work immediately.

The order was sequel to  an ex-parte motion filed last  Friday by the Federal Ministry of Health, seeking for an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining members of NARD from further continuing the industrial action they embarked upon on August 2, 2021, contrary to Section 41 of the Trade Dispute Act, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Upon hearing the motion Ex-parte and affidavit in support sworn by Ahmed Nasiru, the Director of Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Health, the presiding judge, Justice J.I Targema granted an order of interlocutory injunction, compelling all members of the defendants/respondents in all the states of the Federation to suspend the said industrial action commenced on August 2, 2021, and resume work immediately pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The court maintained that the continued industrial action  by the doctors have caused a lot of damage on the health system and the sick.

Targema further ordered that the claimant/applicant and the defendant/respondent suspend all forms of hostilities forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The judge adjourned the matter to September 15, 2021 for the hearing of the motion on notice and any other pending application.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige,described the court ruling as a welcome development.

He promised he affected doctors that the ruling will not prevent the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget Office of the Federation (BOF), Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHOCSF) and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages and Commission (NSIWC) from the implementation of the agreements contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reached at the last meeting with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and affiliate associations with timelines affixed to them.

NMA had led three doctors associations to the negotiation that lasted from 2pm on Friday, August 20, 2021 to the early hours of Saturday, August 21, adjourning 2.am and later resumed by 2pm and finally ending by 10.pm.