Resident Doctors Vow To Resume Nationwide Strike Despite Court Order

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has vowed to embark on indefinite strike despite a court order restraining the union from industrial action.

NARD at the University of Port Harcourt has also joined the national leadership in calling on the Federal Government to fully carry out the Memorandum of Understanding earlier signed with the union.

The MoU is built around 19 demands raised by NARD and focuses on doctors’ welfare, pay, and working conditions across the country.

The doctors threatened that they will begin a nationwide strike even though a court has ordered them not to.

On Friday, Justice Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court in Abuja issued an order stopping NARD and its members from going ahead with the planned strike scheduled for January 12.

The ruling followed an application filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation, argued by lawyers from the Federal Ministry of Justice led by Maimuna Lami Shiru.

Despite the court order, the Uniport NARD President, Dr. Ezinne Kalu, said the association had already shown goodwill by suspending its strike in November 2025, believing the government would honour the agreement.

“We had suspended our strike November last year with the agreement that the MOU that is being signed by NARD was going to be implemented by the federal government. Unfortunately, it’s not been implemented.

“Hence, we reconvened via an E-NEC, which is the highest decision-making body for the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, on the 2nd of January, 2026.”

Following the meeting, the council issued a communiqué signed by the national officers of the association.

Dr. Kalu said the council raised concerns about several unresolved issues, including the redeployment of five resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Lokoja against earlier recommendations, delays in promotions and payment of salary arrears, incomplete implementation of the Professional Allowance Table, confusion over entry-level placement, and continued non-payment of Specialist Allowances.

Other problems listed include delayed salaries for house officers, changes to membership certificates, slow regulation of locum work, long working hours, stalled collective bargaining talks, unpaid salaries and allowances in many hospitals, outstanding arrears affecting a large number of members, poor hospital facilities, outdated medical equipment, delays in pension benefits, and lack of progress on earlier agreements.

The council called on the Federal Government to act immediately by reinstating the affected Lokoja doctors, clearing all outstanding payments, fully implementing agreed allowances, resolving placement issues, and paying house officers’ salaries.

It warned that if the government fails to take concrete steps, resident doctors will resume the suspended indefinite strike from 12:00 a.m. on Monday, January 12, 2026.

Members in all 91 tertiary health institutions across the country were directed to stop work completely until their demands are addressed.

NARD also asked its leaders nationwide to begin coordinated peaceful protests if there is no response from the government.

The association, however, acknowledged the support of some government officials and institutions, including the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Senate Committee on Health, the Minister of Labour and Employment, and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance.

KanyiDaily recalls that the earlier strike was suspended on November 29 after 29 days when the government signed an MoU promising to act within four weeks.