We’re Not Moved By Ngige’s Threat, Says NARD

Members of the National Association of Resident Doctors, Cross River State chapter, have said they are not moved by the threat by Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige to sack them if they don’t call off their strike and return to work.

The President of the state chapter of the association who spoke with our correspondent in Calabar on Saturday evening said Ngige’s threat was laughable and vowed that the strike would continue until the government meet their demands.

According to Udoh, “Ngige’s threat is laughable. It is quite laughable. What punishment do we give the Federal Government for people who have worked and have not been paid and have been put through untold hardship?

“If you are coming to equity you have to come with clean hands. We are not moved by the threat. We have had this kind of thing before and it doesn’t really move us.”

On the way forward, he said, “The strike continues until they call our leaders for negotiation.”

The NARD nationwide strike began on August 2 to compel the Federal Goverment to implement the memorandum of understanding entered into with the doctors in March this year on the welfare and other issues affecting members of the association.

Ngige had threatened to sack them and replace them with new doctors by Monday, August 9 if they failed to return to work.