Respite For Resident Doctors As Tinubu Waives ‘No Work, No Pay’ Policy
BY EDMOND ODOK – President Bola Tinubu has waived the “No Work, No Pay” order instituted against striking members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on August 1 following the commencement of their industrial action on July 26, 2023.
He invoked the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy to approve the waiver as announced in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, in Abuja on Friday.
According to Ngelale; “After several constructive engagements between the Federal Government and NARD, the resident doctors called off their strike on August 12.
“The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation was directed to withhold all salaries accrued by striking NARD members during the 17 days of their strike action.
“In view of the faithful implementation of terms which were agreed upon during the fruitful deliberations between the resident doctors and the Federal Government, President Bola Tinubu has directed the grant of an exceptional last waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” order on resident doctors. This will allow members of the NARD to receive the salaries which were previously withheld during the 17-day strike action.”
The statement further stated thus; “The President has directed the grant of the waiver with a mandatory requirement that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding (DoU) establishing that this exceptional waiver granted by the President will be the last one to be granted to the National Association of Resident Doctors and all other Health Sector Unions.”
