The federal government has formally handed over the trade dispute between it and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for adjudication.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, who did the transmission on Thursday, had earlier told the aggrieved medical workers to convene a virtual meeting of its National Executive Committee, brief its members on the efforts of government with a view to calling off its strike.
He also threatened that the government would enforce “no-work, no-pay” if the strike continues.
The minister, on Thursday, sent a formal notification showing the court received his move, to NARD and the Federal Ministry of Health representing the Federal Government.
Part of the notification signed by the Minister read, “Whereas trade dispute has arisen and now exists between the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Federal Ministry of health/Federal Government and whereas efforts to promote settlement through conciliation were ongoing but had now failed.
“And considering the facts that members of NARD who are classified as Essential Services workers/employees had embarked on strike on Monday, August 2, 2021, over the issues under conciliation, contrary to the provisions of Section 18 of the Trade Disputes Act CAP T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, after attending a Conciliation and Agreement Review meeting on July 22, 2021, and further considering that the Federal Ministry of Health claim to have and produced evidence to having met most of their demands based on the various Memorandum of Action reached during past conciliations especially that of July 22, 2021.
“Now, therefore, I, Senator Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige OON, MD the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment in the exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 17 of the Trades Disputes Act, CAP T8 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, hereby refer the matter for consideration, and the issues in dispute to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for adjudication.”
