Osinbajo Meets Doctors Via Zoom To End Strike, NMA Adamant

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has intervened in the ongoing industrial action by members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Punch reports.

The NARD declared the strike action on July 30 at its National Executive Council meeting with the theme ‘The Nigerian doctor, an endangered species: grappling with a pandemic, poor workplace infrastructure and security threats.’

Announcing the action would begin on August 2 after the meeting held in Umuahia, Abia State, the National President of NARD, Dr Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, had cited the failure of the Federal Government to implement the agreements it entered into with the union 113 days after it suspended the previous strike.

However, 33 days after the commencement of the strike, Osinbajo reached out to the doctors in a bid to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

Our correspondent gathered that the vice president had a zoom meeting with one of the officials of the doctors’ association on Friday where issues relating to the strike were discussed.

Sources that were privy to the meeting revealed that Osinbajo asked for details of the grievances of the striking doctors.

“He reached out to us and told us he needed all the details of our grievances and that he would not want us to end the strike and commence another later in the future,” a source close to the meeting said.

When contacted, the Vice President of NARD, Adejo Arome, confirmed that the vice president had a zoom meeting with an official of the association on Friday.

According to Arome, while reaching out to the association, the Vice President said he needed first-hand information on the issues involved.

He said, “Vice President Osinbajo reached out to us. He met with the President yesterday (Friday). It was actually a zoom meeting he had with our president ( Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi) though some of us were there. He (Osinbajo) initiated the meeting because he wanted to get the information about what was going on.

“He said he needed details of everything that happened. He asked calmly and we believe that he would do something and we also believe that very soon, he would call us officially (for a meeting).

“We gave him the information (that he requested). The information we gave him was first-hand and authentic. We are sure other government officials won’t give him such details at all about the whole issue.

“He told us that he did not want the issue to be resolved now and later there would be another strike.

“He said he wants to put the problem to rest once and for all. We are waiting for him to invite us officially and we are certain that he is going to do it. We trust his judgement.”