FG explains standoff with resident doctors, highlights N90bn allowance increase

By Joseph Erunke

Abuja— The Federal Government has shed light on the lingering standoff with the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, attributing the impasse to structural and policy constraints, rather than official neglect.

It also underscored a N90 billion annual increase in health workers’ allowances as proof of its commitment to industrial harmony in the health sector.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who gave the clarification in an interview on the AIT’s Kaakaki programme yesterday, said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare placed a premium on maintaining industrial peace and ensuring uninterrupted healthcare delivery across the country.

While acknowledging the legitimate welfare concerns of resident doctors, he noted that government’s decisions must balance competing national priorities such as education, security and infrastructure, within the limits of available revenue.

He stressed that Tinubu’s administration remained committed to dialogue and sustainable solutions that would prevent the cycle of strikes that had plagued the sector.

The minister disclosed that in November 2025, the federal government approved an upward review of professional allowances for health workers, adding nearly N90 billion to annual public expenditure.

The increase, he said, covered call duty, shift duty, non-clinical duty and rural posting allowances, and was achieved through joint negotiations involving all categories of health workers.

The minister explained that the adoption of a collective bargaining framework was meant to end the fragmentation of past negotiations, which often saw different professional groups engage government separately, leading to disputes over pay parity and recurrent industrial actions.

On the specific demands of NARD, Dr. Salako revealed that the association’s requests had been reduced from 19 to nine, reflecting progress in ongoing negotiations.

He clarified that some outstanding demands were limited by existing civil service rules and approved schemes of service.

Addressing the call for specialist allowance for resident doctors, the minister noted that residents were specialists-in-training, adding that current regulations restricted such allowances to consultants, a position also supported by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

He explained further that certification concerns raised by NARD were outside the ministry’s control, while cases of disengaged resident doctors in Lokoja were being handled through due process, with reinstatement recommended for some.

Reassuring Nigerians, Dr. Salako said the government remained committed to dialogue, noting that doctors’ strikes were not unique to Nigeria, and pledged continued engagement to stabilise the health sector and avert future disruptions to healthcare services.

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