Federal government directs chief medical officers not to pay any doctors out on strike

NIGERIA'S health ministry has written to all the chief medical directors of the country's federal tertiary hospitals asking to immediately invoke the of no-work: no-pay policy in relation to the striking members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (Nard).

On August 2, Nard members embarked on a nationwide strike after the failure of the federal government to meet its demands regarding salary arrears and Covid-19 hazard payment. In response, Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi, the director of hospital services in the Federal Ministry of Health, has written to all teaching hospitals asking them not to pay doctors who are not at work.

This government directive dated August 26,was titled Application of Section 43(1) (A) of the Trade Dispute Act, Cap T8, Law of the Federation of Nigeria (LGN) 2004 (no work no pay) partly. It read: “The ministry is in receipt of the letter from the Ministry of Labour and Employment informing the ministry of the laws governing the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors and the need to immediately apply the provisions of the Section 43 (1) (a) of the Trade Dispute Act on special provision with respect to payment of wages during strike and lockouts’ known in labour parlance as no-work-no-pay with effect from Monday, August 2, 2021 when the strike was commenced by NARD members.

“Consequently on the above, I am directed to inform you to commence the implementation of the no-work-no-pay policy on the striking doctors including other workers that may embark on strike consequently. This directive is in line with Section 43 (1) (a) of the trade dispute act which inter alia states where any worker takes part in a strike, he shall not be entitled to any wages or remuneration for the period of the strike.

“And any such period shall not account for the purpose of reckoning the period of continuous employment and all rights dependent on continuity of employment shall be prejudicially affected accordingly. You are to compute the financial implications of the no-work-no-pay from the salaries of resident doctors and any other health worker that participated in strike using the attached template and forward same to the IPPIS office through the Federal Ministry of Health for implementation.”