*Says association ‘ll consult with NEC members, lawyers for legal advice
President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Uyilawa Okhuahesuyi, has faulted the order by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), asking its striking members to resume work with immediate effect.
Okhuahesuyi, who was reacting to the verdict of the court during a telephone interview with TheIdeal said, he was shock to hear about the court order in the media.
The NICN presided over by Justice John Targema, had on Monday directed all parties in the suit to suspend all forms of hostilities and return to status quo, pending the determination of the motion on notice.
The judge said: “Having looked especially on the affidavit of extreme urgency, the grounds of the application, the affidavit in support of same and arguments of counsel for the applicant. I also weighed the submissions and arguments of counsel on the law as it stands on this application.
“It is hereby ordered that claimant/applicant and the defendant/respondent suspend all forms of hostilities forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
The judge also ordered that a hearing notice and other processes should be served on the defendant, including the originating summons.
Justice Targema further adjourned the matter to September 15 for a hearing of the motion on notice and/or any other pending application on its merit.
But in his reaction, the NARD president said, “We fault the ruling of the court. First, we were not in not. I was surprised to read about the court order in the media. We do not work for the media.
“When the matter came up for hearing last week, we were all in court while the federal government was absent.
“We are going to summon a meeting with our of the National Executive Council members. Thereafter, we will brief our lawyers to advice us on the next action”, he added.
TheIdeal recalls that the Federal Government took the legal action against NARD after efforts to reach a resolution failed.
It further asked the Industrial court to restrain the doctors from continuing with the strike.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Dr Chris Ngige, who first conciliated the issue between the NARD and their employers, the Federal Ministry of Health, described the court ruling as a welcome development.
Ngige, who was reacting to the ruling however reassured the affected doctors that the ruling will not prevent the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget Office of the Federation (BOF), Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHOCSF) and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages and Commission (NSIWC) from the implementation of the agreements contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached at the last meeting with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and affiliate associations with timelines affixed to them.
NMA had led three doctors associations to the negotiation that lasted from 2pm on Friday, August 20, 2021 to the early hours of Saturday, August 21, adjourned at about 2.am and later resumed by 2pm and finally ending at about 10.pm.
