By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
The Federal Government is not thinking of sacking the striking medical doctors just as it insists that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) policy of “No Work No Pay” will apply should the strike continue.
These explanations were given on Thursday by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire while speaking to State House Correspondents at the Special Ministerial Weekly Briefing coordinated by the Presidential Communication Team in Abuja.
According to Dr. Ehanire who was at the briefing specifically to give an update on Nigeria’s preparations for the second phase of the vaccination exercise against COVID-19 scheduled to commence on Monday August 16, 2021, said it is not true that government is threatening the striking medical doctors.
Said he: “It is not true that government has threatened to sack striking members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD). Nobody threatened them. They are our young professional colleagues and we are telling them to return to work.
“There are no basis for them to embark on strike because their grievances are being addressed. The ministries and agencies involved in addressing their concerns have been working round the clock to ensure they are happy.
“So Ministry of Health, Labour and Productivity, Finance and Salaries, Wages and Physical Responsibility have been working round the clock to thrash out the issues at hand.
“But let it be known that it will be morally wrong before God and man to pay someone salaries for jobs not done or for anyone to receive salaries for jobs not executed.
“This is why we are saying that if the strike continues, government is not a Father Christmas hence the ILO Policy will apply in this situation”.
Dr. Ehanire however pleaded with the striking medical doctors to return to work, pointing out that “this is not the best time for doctors who signed up to save lives to embark on strike to press home their grievances when the country is having health emergencies with the Covid-19 virus and outbreak of cholera at the same time”.
