Sultan urges doctors to end strike

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under its president-general and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has appealed to resident doctors to end its ongoing strike and give room for negotiation.

He expressed worry over the ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), which has increased the burden of vulnerable Nigerians.

The Director of Administration,

NSCIA, Zubairu Haruna UsmanUgwu, an architect, in a statement yesterday, quoted the Sultan as urging the doctors to suspend the current strike to allow for meaningful negotiation.

According to him, “Without prejudice to the legitimacy of the demands of the NARD, the Council urges the association to, in the spirit of the Hippocratic Oath, to which members subscribe and in consideration of the devastating effects of COVID-19 pandemic and the outbreak of cholera in parts of the country, suspend the industrial action while negotiation with the government continues.

“The Council pleads with the minister of labour and productivity to reconsider the ministry’s stance to abandon negotiations with the doctors. The anger of the government’s side, no matter its basis, has not ameliorated the suffering of ordinary Nigerians, who are helpless victims of the logjam.

“The government, therefore, has to vigorously and sincerely re-engage the leadership of the NARD in a manner that would inspire the confidence of the medical doctors in the negotiation.”