The government of Rivers state has directed all resident doctors under its payroll to call off its strike or risk forfeiture of their salaries and possible dismissal.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Wenike Danagogo on Tuesday, asking all Resident Doctors under the employment of the Rivers State government to revoke the strike actions taken.
The statement read, “Sequel to the ongoing strike action by the Rivers State chapter of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) with respect to irregularities in the payment of salaries of house officers by the Federal Government,”
“The Rivers State Government hereby directs all Resident Doctors under the employment of the State Government to call off its strike action immediately.
“Whereas the NARD has a right to go on strike, we expect that such should be restricted to Resident Doctors that are directly under the payroll of the Federal Government, particularly as the Rivers State Government does not owe salaries or benefits to Resident Doctors in the State. We are therefore unable to decipher why Resident Doctors in the State will embark on sympathy strike with their counterparts in the employment of the Federal Government.
“To this end, the Rivers State Government having reaffirmed its position with respect to the above, will not tolerate further strike actions by Resident Doctors in Rivers State and will be compelled to invoke the “No Work, No Pay” rule on striking house Officers.
“We therefore direct all Resident Doctors to call off the ongoing strike in the State and return to work within 24hrs, or forfeit their salaries and risk being sacked.”
Resident doctors in Rivers State, on Monday, joined their colleagues across Nigeria to commence an indefinite strike as directed by their national union, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
