Arising from the AGM, the following observations were made: 

(1) The new cases of Poliomyelitis recently recorded as well as the resurgence of Lassa Fever and other infectious diseases in different parts of the country. This has further complicated the already poor health indices and indicates the ineptitude of infectious disease control in Nigeria. 

(2) The deplorable conditions of remuneration of her members in State Tertiary Health Institutions (STHI's) with most having to endure many months without salaries while others have been confined to irregular emoluments of varying percentages even in the present arduous economic conditions. 

(3) The continued exclusion of most of her members from the IPPIS Platform despite several agreements to integrate them. This has occasioned irregular application of the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) leading to excessive taxation of some our members. A case in point is National Orthopaedic Hospital Enugu — currently experiencing industrial disharmony sequel to the above. 

(4) That despite clear directives from the Federal Government, some institutions are yet to recommence pension deductions from our members while some others habitually do not remit to the Pension Fund Administrators the deductions made from our members. 

(5) The application of the 'no work no pay' rule on our members despite fragrant disregard to extant circulars by government MDAs and its contravention of existing labour laws. 

(6) The number of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions as well as those owned by states who are currently on strike due to persistent refusal of their chief executives to implement agreements reached at different levels on infrastructural development and maintenance as well as full remuneration of our members. 

(7) The actions of the chief executives in such centres as FMC Asaba, FMC Lokoja, FMC Owo, FMC Umuahia, ASPH Aro, FNPH Uselu-Benin City, UBTH Benin City, ISTH Irrua, UITH florin, UPTH Port Harcourt, UUTH Uyo have grossly impeded healthcare delivery in their institutions, leading to unwarranted deaths and also sabotaging the efforts of other stakeholders at revamping our healthcare system. 

(8) The recent visit of officials of the Federal Ministry of Health to some Federal Tertiary Health Institutions to ascertain their financial capability to meet their obligations, and instead totally misrepresented the extant circulars entrenching full remuneration to our members. This action was viewed as a recipe for industrial disharmony within the health sector. 

(9) The misinformation during the above mentioned visits also showed a clear disregard for agreements reached at the conciliatory meetings with the Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara where all parties were directed to immediately commence implementation of full remuneration of our members. 

(10) The delay in release of the template on corrected House Officers entry point even after agreements reached at the meeting with the Honorable Speaker, Federal House of Representatives and the follow up meetings with the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) 

(11 ) That our members in FMC Owerri are yet to receive their December 2015 salaries despite several assurances by all parties that it would be paid. 

 

RESOLUTIONS 

After exhaustive deliberation the house resolved as follows; 

(1) That the Federal Government through the relevant agencies should urgently strengthen the existing mechanisms for eradication of these diseases of Public Health concern to forestall further occurrences. 

(2) The Federal Government should expedite action on the release of the bailout funds for State Tertiary Health Institutions as agreed earlier. 

(3) The Federal Government should as a matter of urgency ensure the migration of all our members to the IPPIS platform. 

(4) Centres that are not deducting pension contributions from our members should immediately commence, while all centres should ensure full remittance of deducted contributions of our members to the Pension Fund Administrators. 

(5) In line with extant labour laws we reject in its entirety the 'no work no pay' rule as currently being applied by the Federal Ministry of Health. NARD urged the FMOH and tertiary hospitals Chief Executives to do the needful at all times to forestall industrial disharmony. 

(6) The centres currently on strike to protest remuneration injustice have the FULL BACKING of NARD, 

(7) NARD shall resist any attempts to distort the already established template for proper placement of our members with its attendant financial implications. (8) NARD demands the immediate release of the template on corrected House Officers entry point. 

(9) NARD demands the immediate payment of the December 2015 salaries of our members in FMC Owerri. 

(10) In the light of the above, NARD cannot guarantee Industrial harmony in the health sector if this persists beyond the payment of September salaries.

 

APPRECIATION 

NARD wishes to appreciate the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria - Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, The Speaker, Federal House of Representatives - Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara, The Minister of Health - Prof Isaac Folorunsho Adewole, The Enugu State Governor - Rt Hon lfeanyi Ugwuanyi, The Chief Medical Director, University of Nigeria Teaching hospital - Dr C.0 Amah, The Registrar, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria — Prof. Oluwole Atoyebi, The President Nigeria Medical Association — Prof. Mike Ogirima, The Chairman Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Enugu State Chapter - Dr Cajetan Onyedum, the Local Organizing Committee and entire members of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku/Ozalla Enugu State as well as all the doctors in Enugu state for their warm reception and hospitality. 

 

Long Live NARD 

Long Live NMA 

Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria 

 

Dr. John Ugochukwu Onyebueze President, NARD 

Dr. Emmanuel Aneke Secretary, NARD 

Dr. Ugoeze Asinobi PRO NARD