Resident Doctors Get N4.5bn Hazard Allowances From FG, urged to call off Strike

Chris Ngige

Striking medical personnel under the umbrella of National Association of Resident Doc­tors NARD, got a windfall on Friday, compelling the Feder­al Government to release the sum of N4.5 billion to them as hazard allowances.

The payment which cov­ers arrears for the month of April and May is expected to be disbursed across 31 Federal Teaching and Medical Centres in the country.

Recall that NARD mobil­ised its members for strike over lapses in the payment of their allowances, especially inducement for the frontline health workers in the bat­tle to contain the spread of Covid-19.


While most of them have been reported to have contract­ed the virus in the course of working, the Federal Govern­ment had promised to increase their basic salaries and other emoluments by 50%.

The delays in implement­ing the new pay rise prompt­ed the indefinite strike by the doctors.

Government is however optimistic that the strike will come to an end following the releases.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, made this disclosure while briefing State House Correspondents, in company of the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire and the Min­ister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Key­amo, after they briefed Presi­dent Muhammadu Buhari, on the strike by the National Association of Resident Doc­tors (NARD).


Ngige said: “Just this morn­ing, before we went to see Mr. President, the Ministry of Fi­nance reported that as at this morning, 3am, they have paid the allowances for hazard and inducement to 31 teaching and Federal Medical Centres and specialist hospitals of the Fed­eral government service and they have expended close to N4.5 billion in the payment be­cause, we are paying them the arrears of April and May. The payment for June will also be done immediately these ones are sorted out.

“Again, it’s important to re­port to you that in consonance with what he’s saying, we have arranged a meeting for them to speak to the Nigerian Gov­ernors’ Forum because you don’t mix apples and oranges. The issue of health is on the concurrent list, so the Federal government will do its own and the state government will be expected to do their own. Some of their grievances bor­der on what they feel the state governments have not done.”