Transportation

Anger, Frustration As Passengers Attempt Securing Flight To Beat Strike

By Web News 544

Following the likelihood of a nationwide strike by airline operators on Monday, 9th May,2022, as earlier announced, many passengers are having a hard time securing flights to their destinations.
Our correspondent who visited the Ibadan Airport based in Alakia around 7pm on Sunday, reports that anger and frustration were evident on the faces of passengers as many of them were seen arguing with Airline personnel.
A passenger who spoke under the condition of anonymity said her flight was scheduled for Monday but they were asked to come to the airport right away and upon getting there there was no plane to airlift them.
“We already booked our flight on line and it was supposed to be for tomorrow morning so we didn’t plan for today at all.On getting here everything is so confusing, we don’t even know our fate whether or not we can leave today because we are being pushed from one personnel to the other for the way out”.the passenger said.

In the case of some passengers, they had boarded the plane ready for take off when they were all instructed to get down following a directive from their headquarters to ask all passengers to alight from the plane.

Passengers alighting from the plane

A student who was returning from his vacation said his flight from Abuja to Ibadan was initially scheduled for 3pm but the flight was delayed for three hours.
“My flight was supposed to be for 3pm,it was later moved to 4:55pm but we eventually left@ 5:30pm. I noticed that at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja,the counters were abandoned at some stage by the airline personnel. I’m glad I arrived safely despite the stress”.

Airline Operators of Nigeria had on Friday, 6th May, 2022, announced that they would embark on an indefinite strike starting on Monday, 9th May 2022.

They cited the increasing cost of aviation fuel as the major reason for planning to shut down operations.

The Airline Operators claimed the price of aviation fuel (JetA1) had suddenly risen from N190 per litre to about N700, a development which had created huge pressure on the sustainability of operations and financial viability of the airlines.

Olutola Daramola

Education

Address ASUU’s Grievances, NLC Tells FG

By Web News 1376

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to address issues that necessitated the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) and other unions in tertiary institutions.


President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, made the call when he addressed newsmen shortly before going into a closed door meeting of the Congress’s Central Working Committee (CWC) on Wednesday in Abuja.


Wabba said the call was imperative in the interest of the Nigerian children who are from poor homes.
“In Nigeria today, we are facing a period of great injustice on the downtrodden of the society, the worse of it is that for more than three months, the children of the poor are actually at home and this is not acceptable.
“But instead of the politicians to look at the issues as a national disaster, they are discussing politics that is why there can never be equity and justice in such a system.
“As you are aware, we have communicated what we think that would be able to resolve the issue with government.
“Till date, we are yet to receive any formal information of any effort being made by them to look at that recommendation, we made to them,’’ he said.


On the upcoming political dispensation in the country, Wabba called on union leaders to defend democracy and rights of the working class.


According to him, this time around, with what has happened with a lot of broken promises, I do not think any worker or union leader will actually sit down and watch.
“It is not a time to watch, because it is the political decision that will put food on your table, so therefore sitting down and wait or watch certainly will not be our portion.
“Every Nigerian worker must be active to use our “charter of demand’’ to engage the politicians.
“We must try also to make sure that the agenda of the working class, the poor and the downtrodden finds space to be accommodated even in the political process,’’ he said.


The NLC president further said the CWC meeting would look at the next step to take if the government fail to respond to its recommendation on resolving the ongoing strike by unions in the tertiary institutions.


He also said the CWC would also look at key issues of the economy, major roles to bring about peace and respect to the sanity of collective bargaining in the education sector, among others.


ASUU embarked on a nationwide warning strike to press home its members’ demands on February 14 this year.


The lecturers’ demands include; funding of the Revitalisation of Public Universities, Earned Academic Allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) and promotion arrears.


Others are the renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FG Agreement and the inconsistency in Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS).


Vanguard/Simeon Ugbodovon

Economy

ASUU Strike: Agree with Unions- NLC tells FG 

By Web News 590

The Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, has urged the Federal Government to respect the Collective Bargaining Agreements entered into with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and other unions in the tertiary institutions in the country.

The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the call in Abuja.

According to him, millions of Nigerian university students, especially those attending public citadels of higher learning,  celebrated Easter outside the precincts of their campuses.

“It is tragic that the majority of the affected students are children from poor homes whose parents cannot afford to pay the outrageous fees charged by private universities.
There is no sadder premiere of the Social Apartheid in our society than the intermittent and protracted strike actions in our public universities,’’ he said.

Mr Wabba therefore, added “we demand respect for Collective Bargaining Agreements signed with unions in our tertiary institutions and other sectors “.
The NLC president also noted that, many workers in Nigeria are yet to enjoy the national minimum wage almost four years after it was signed into law, noting that Cross River, Taraba and Zamfara are the states yet to implement the national minimum wage.
Culled/Taiwo Akinola

Security

Strike: IGP Advises Officers Against Mutiny

By Web News 491

Contrary to the speculations that some policemen in the zone are planning to embark on strike action, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 17 comprising Ekiti and Ondo States, AIG Ene Okon, says there are no plans by policemen attached to the Zone to embark on such industrial action.
Mr Okon disclosed this in Akure, the Ondo state capital, when the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, visited the State Police Command as part of efforts to stop the planned strike action.

The AIG stated that policemen under his supervision would not leave work undone.

In his reaction, the Inspector General of Police, represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Southwest, Mr Babatunde Kokumo, advised against mutiny.

The IGP who said the salary increase for police personnel was being processed, noted that efforts were on to exit the police from the current Contributory Pension Scheme.

On his part, the Ondo state Police Commissioner, Mr Oyeyemi Oyediran, assured the IGP that policemen under his command rejected the strike action.

Leke Adegbite

Education

Strike: FG/ASUU Meeting Adjourned

By Web News 528

The conciliatory meeting between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU summoned to end the ongoing strike by the union has adjourned to reconvened next week Monday.

Addressing newsmen at the end of the eight hours meeting in Abuja, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige said the meeting had reached some level of understanding in four areas of ASUU’s demands.

He, however, explained that the only area that the meeting was yet to have an understanding was the university revitalization fund which necessarily needed the input of the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning before a concrete decision would be taken.

Dr Ngige also stated that a technical Committee was also set up to test run the University Transparency and Accountability System, UTAS, a payment platform developed by ASUU to replace IPPIS, describing UTAS as a home-grown innovative system that the present administration encourages.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige expressed confidence that all the grey areas in contention would be addressed for the resumption of academic activities in the nation’s universities after the next meeting.

Meanwhile, members of ASUU executive led by its President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke declined comments on the outcome of the meeting.

Earlier at the opening session of the meeting, Prof. Osodeke had told the meeting that ASUU only wanted the Federal Government to urgently match actions with the terms of understanding it already had and not just to go through another process of renegotiations of the lingering issues.

Joseph Agi

Education

OAU/ASUSS Clamors For Entitlements, As Strike Continues

By Web News 977

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUSS, Obafemi Awolowo University OAU Ile Ife branch has insisted it will not suspend its current strike until the institution’s authority paid earned allowance of its members.

The protest was led by the leadership of the Union from Akure zone, Benin zone and Lagos zone.

Addressing the congress, coordinator of the Akure zone, Professor Olusayo Olu-Olu explained that only OAU was yet to pay the earned allowance for its staff since it was released by the Federal government.

Professor Olu-Olu said the major contention was the attempt by the  OAU management to use other modalities to effect, particularly to non-members of ASUU as against other universities that had paid since December last year.

Also speaking, the Chairman of ASUU, OAU chapter, Dr Adeola Egbetokun decried the attempt by the OAU management to manipulate the Union over the EAA allowance, saying OAU remained the only University attempting to inject new modalities of payment.

Dr Egbetokun maintained that (ASUU) fought for the money and should lead on how the money should be disbursed.

“That is how it happens in every university, I don’t know why OAU case is different. This is not the first time that such a thing like this will be happening.”

“We use to disburse EAA based on the template that is submitted by ASUU and not any group. If they have the capacity, they should demand theirs, this is our money. ASUU share must be disbursed to us.

On the 20th of January we held a meeting with the audit unit where they said they are going to take our computation for verification, since that day, there has not been any official communication from the management on the outcome of the audit.”

The ASUU chairman said the Union’s template was submitted to the institution management for audit verification and if anything was wrong in what was submitted, the authority should communicate the union formally.

Similarly, the coordinator of the Lagos zone of ASUU, Dr Laja Odukoya urged OAU chapter of ASUU to report the vice Chancellor to the minister of Education as an administrator promoting industrial unrest on his Campus.

Reacting to the development, the University authority through its Spokesperson, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju denied the allegation of it refused to pay the Earned Allowance but argued that there were two Academic bodies on the campus and it would be wrong for the management to use the template designed by only one of the Unions when the other one did not agree to it.

Mr Olarewaju said once the two unions reached a position on the template to use, the University would release their money to them.

Radio Nigeria went through faculties of Social Sciences, Law, Administration, Arts and sciences where students were met in numbers discussing the matter.

While some students were playing table tennis at their faculty basement, others were listening and dancing to hip hop music.

However, lectures went on in a few classes.

One of the lecturers who did not want to mention told Radio Nigeria that he was not a member of ASUSS, but that of Conference of Nigeria Universities Academic, CONUA and his union did not order a strike.

Some students said the ASUU strike was impeding academic programmes on the campus since ASUU parades the largest numbers of members.

Adenitan Akinola

Health News

ODHA Begs Doctors On Strike To Resume Work

By Web News 718

The Ondo State House of Assembly has appealed to the Doctors’ on strike to please toe the line of peace and return to work in the interest of the good people.

Efforts to resolve the industrial dispute generated by the striking members of the Nigeria Medical Association in Ondo State had hit the rock.

Deliberating on the development on Thursday at plenary, Lawmakers in the Ondo State House of Assembly expressed deep concern on the aftermath of the strike on the people.

They noted that the strike had triggered mortality among patients who now have to patronize quack doctors because they lack the wherewithal to attend standard hospitals in view of the high charges placed on them.

The Lawmakers appealed to relevant authorities to find a way of procuring an amicable solution to the industrial crisis which has triggered brain-drain amongst medical personnel in the state 

Speaking on the development, the Speaker, Mr Bamidele Oleyelogun noted that the industrial dispute has lasted for so long and there is need to put an end to it. 

Mr Oleyelogun called for a tripartite meeting which would involve Medical personnel, the executive and the Legislative arms with a view to fashion out an amicable solution to the lingering crisis.

Olumide Abudu

News Analysis

The On-going Strike by Resident Doctors Amidst a Pandemic

By Web News 930

This is not to undermine the current strike by the resident doctors in public hospitals to press home their demands from government, but an effort to look at the moral implication on the medical profession and it impact on the ordinary man on the street.

Doctors are trained to save lives first before any other thing going by the Hippocratic Oath they administer on them upon graduation from medical schools.

However, once there is crisis between the doctors and government, human lives are endangered in the course of this war of nerves forgetting that no amount of monetary value fought for can replace the loss of lives at the end.

Public hospitals remain the only health care providers available to the common man in terms of cost implications for the range of services provided by them.

Therefore, the most unfortunate part of the current face-off between the resident doctors and the federal government is that the common man who is the highest beneficiary of the services provided by the doctors in the public hospital is the worst hit.

While the strike last, hospital ward are evacuated of patients, while the affluent can afford to be taken to private hospitals, the common man is cash- strapped and left to die in most cases.

Some of them often resort to quack doctors and other obnoxious alternatives which are death prone.

Facilities at the abandoned hospitals are affected too in one way or the other in terms of deterioration and level of hygiene by the time the doctors are back to work after the strike.

Although, there is remarkable improvement in the traditional health care delivery, there is still a wide gap between the orthodox medicine, and alternative medicine, specifically health conditions that require emergency and prompt management.

Strike as a tool for labour agitation should not be abused, especially by medical doctors who are trained to save lives and give succor to the patients.

How can they feel so unconcerned and unmoved that people are dying every second on each day they stay away from work?

While the threat by the federal government to have the striking doctors replaced because they appear to have lost the feeling of the doctors is counter-productive, there is the need to examine options to manage this type of crisis in the future.

Government at all levels should endeavour to have a pool of volunteer doctors attached to public hospital to manage health crisis occasioned by strike till matters are resolved to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.

The current doctors’ strike across the country is the most insensitive coming at a period of a major pandemic like COVID-19 that has put many lives at risk and it is even more disturbing that the federal government has been unable to resolve the crisis amicably.   .

We cannot have international best practices in the health sector when the major stakeholders embark on strike every now and then.

All contentious issues raised by the striking doctors must be looked at holistically to resolve the impasse as the egoistic posture on both sides of the divide can only make the health sector crisis a recurring decimal.

Tayo Sanni

Health

Resident Doctors in Osun Ignore Strike

By Web News 863

Despite the declaration of the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, to begin an indefinite strike today, normal activities have continued at public hospitals in Ilesa.

Radio Nigeria visited the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Wesley Guild and Osun State Hospital Management Board, Ilaje, Ilesa reports that doctors and other health officers were attending to patients.

Doctors and nurses were seen doing ward-round as early as 7:00am today at Wesley Guild Hospital.

 An attempt to speak with a medical officer on why the directive had not been followed proved abortive as they were fully engaged with the patients.

 One of the health officers at General Hospital who did not want her name mentioned could not confirm the development, but said she would have been notified if the directive would be followed.

In an interview with a patient relative, mrs Obileye said she would have been disappointed seriously should the medical officers refuse to work.

Mrs Obileye however urged government to accede to their demands, noting that this would continue to guarantee smooth running of the medical facility.

Temitope Mosadomi

Health

Resident Doctors in Ondo Commence Indefinite Strike

By Web News 654

Resident Doctors at the Federal Medical Centre Owo and UNIMED Akure Annexe in Ondo state have deserted various wards and offices within the facilities in compliance with the directive of the National Association of Resident Doctors NARD, asking its members to proceed on an indefinite strike.

According to the NARD, the strike was necessitated by some critical factors among which are poor working environment in public hospitals, irregular payment of doctor’s salaries and hazard allowances of ₦5000 which was last reviewed in 1991.

The doctors were conspicuously absent at the hospitals yesterday which was the first day of the industrial action.

Speaking with Radio Nigeria, the Chairman of NARD in Ondo state, Dr Tope Olatilu said members would not renege on the strike action until the Federal government implemented the agreements it entered with the union after before suspending the previous strike.

Dr Olatilu said it was disheartening that government was being insensitive to their plights as well as the health of Nigerians.

Bukola Bardi

Health

UCH Doctors Call off Two Month Old Strike

By Web News 988

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors NARD, University College Hospital, UCH Chapter have called off its two months old strike action.

Speaking through the hospital’s Public Relations Officer Mr Toye Akinrinlola a substantial part of their demands had been met.

Mr Akinrinlola noted that salaries had been paid by the federal Government which necessitated their withdrawal.

Our health correspondent reports that activities have resumed at the hospital while patients and their relatives wore smiling faces over the development.

The Association had embarked on an indefinite strike over unpaid four months salaries of some of its member.

The doctors had demanded, amongst other things, payment of all salary arrears and review of the current hazard allowance to 50% of consolidated basic salaries for all health workers.

Lilian Ibomor

News

PASAN In Osun Resume After Two-Month Strike

By Web News 553

The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, Osun State chapter have resumed after the suspension of the over two months strike.
Speaking on the resumption, the Osun State Chairman of PASAN, Comrade Adekunle Adesina said the staff suspended the strike to allow the Lawmakers to complete legislation on the Fund Management Bill , passed and assented to, by the Governor.
Comrade Adesina explained that the management of the Assembly, in the memorandum, was also directed to establish a budget Office that will see to the meeting of the yearly budget of the House.
Comrade Adesina added that the Association gave 45 days ultimatum for passage and assent of Governor on the Fund Management Bill. 

PASAN members embarked on Nationwide strike on March 23, demanding for Financial Autonomy for the parliament and the staff.

Funmi Adekoya

Judiciary

PASAN Refuses To End Strike Over Unresolved Issues

By Web News 695

The twelve weeks old strike embarked upon by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, is yet to see an end.

This is because the leaders of the association said they would not relent until the implementation of Financial Autonomy for the State Houses of Assembly.

The Chairman Of Osun Assembly Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, Comrade Adekunle Adesina in an interview with Radio Nigeria in Osogbo, said the strike would continue until the Critical Stakeholders endorsed the harmonised  proposal of PASAN and JUSUN.

Mr. Adesina enjoined the Federal Government, National Assembly and Governor’s Forum to speedily do the needful for the implementation of Financial Autonomy of the Parliament.

It would be recalled that, the Association had embarked on indefinite strike to demand for the implementation of the Executive Order 10 on Financial Autonomy for the legislative arm of government.

Funmi Adekoya

Judiciary

JUSUN Strike: Oyo Judicial Workers Down Tools

By Web News 724

In compliance with the directive by the national body  of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, today judicial activities have been paralyzed at all court premises in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

Radio Nigeria monitored the situation within Ibadan metropolis observed that Oyo state High Court of Justice, Ring Road, Ibadan, complied with the directives as members of staff locked the main entrance and placed  various inscription  on the gate such as judiciary autonomy is nonnegotiable, injustice in temple of justice among others.

The situation was not different at the Federal High Court, National Industrial Court and Court of Appeal, Ibadan.

Speaking on their demands, Chairman, Judiciary staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Oyo state branch who doubles as Oyo state NLC Chairman, Mr Kayode Martins said the financial autonomy will aid the efficiency of the sector in the dispensation of justice.

Similarly, members of the Judiciary staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) enforcing its indefinite nationwide strike, have evicted court staff from the Federal High court in Ikoyi, Lagos.

They sealed some of the offices and pasted notices indicating commencement of the court shutdown.

In a related development, all court activities in Osun state have been grounded following an indefinite industrial action embarked upon by members of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria.

Addressing the judicial staff, its, Chairman Mr Gbenga Eludire averred that all forms of criminal activities in Nigeria today were as a result of neglect of the judiciary, hence the need for the full implementation of its autonomy.

Adedoyin Shomoye

Judiciary

Ondo State Judicial Workers Embark on Indefinite Strike

By Web News 640

Judiciary workers in Ondo state today joined a nationwide indefinite strike to protest the non-implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary.

Radio Nigeria who monitored the situation in Akure, observed that the State High Court, Appeal Court, Magistrates courts and the Federal High Court in Akure have been shut down by officials of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) led by the state Chairman, Comrade Femi Afolabi.

The strike is to seek financial autonomy of the Judicial arm of government, though the federal government has allowed for financial autonomy, state governments were accused of not granting financial independence to the judiciary in the states.

Reacting to the refusal of states to implement the policy, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), accordingly directed its members across the country to shut down all courts nationwide beginning from today.

In Akure, some lawyers and litigants returned home disappointed as they met gates of the court locked by JUSUN officers while staff of the Federal High Court were forced out of the premises.

Speaking with newsmen, the JUSUN Chairman in Ondo state, Comrade Femi Afolabi said the strike would not be called off until their demands were met by government.

Comrade Afolabi described as successful the first day of the strike, adding that all stakeholders in the judiciary arm were fully in the JUSUN support.

 Leke Adegbite

Politics

Financial Autonomy: Osun Assembly Workers Joins Nationwide Strike, Shuts Assembly Gate

By Web News 598

Staff of the Osun House of Assembly, under the umbrella of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, joined other Assembly workers nationwide in embarking on strike to call for the implementation of Financial Autonomy for the legislature.

Radio Nigeria Correspondent, reports that the staff, shut the Osun Assembly complex gate and carrying various placards which reads: “Financial Autonomy, No going back”,  “Financial Separation”, “Service for Democracy”.

The Chairman of Osun Assembly Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, Mr. Akeem Adesina said the national association of their union had directed members, which Osun is included, to embark on indefinite strike to demand for the implementation of the Executive Order 10 on Financial Autonomy for the Legislative arm of government.

Comrade Adesina noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had accented to the Executive Order 10 in 2018 which State governments refused to implement.

It will be recalled that that the Parliamentary workers has earlier stages a protest on March 9 calling on National Assembly to take necessary steps to ensure the implementation of Financial Autonomy.

Funmi Adekoya

Economy

Ogun Workers Give Strike Notice

By Web News 569

Workers in the employ of the Ogun State Government have given the notice to resume their suspended industrial action.

The workers, under the umbrella of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, at an emergency meeting in Abeokuta, said the notice was in reaction to haphazard implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached with the government to suspend the strike last year  September.The Negotiation Council chairman, Comrade Folorunso Olanrewaju and the Secretary, Comrade Adebiyi Olusegun in a statement jointly signed and made available to newsmen noted that all the agreements in the MoU with timeline were not implemented by the government.

The Council expressed displeasure that the state government had failed to speak on payment of the twelve months arrears on the new minimum wage as a result of the delay in the implementation of the new salary.

The Negotiation Council also alleged the state government of failure to implement the promise of quarterly five hundred million naira for the payment of gratuity among others.

Wale Oluokun

Lifestyle

NIMC Staff Call off Strike

By Web News 848

Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), NIMC branch has called off its strike over the fear of COVID-19 spread in the agency aswell as lack of adequate funding and equipments.

After a meeting with the Federal Government on Friday, the association agreed to call off the strike after the government agreed that the demands of the employees would be addressed.

The President of ASCSN, Mr Lucky Michael, confirming that the strike had been suspended said workers of the commission across the country were being contacted to resume work by Monday and begin the enrolment of citizens for National Identification Numbers.

Meanwhile, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ibrahim Isa Pantami has assured staff of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) that their grievances will be addressed.

In a statement by the Head of Cooperate Communications, NIMC, Kayode Adegoke, the Minister assured staff that matters involving their welfare would be looked into while calling for their dedication to duty.

The statement says the Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Aziz, stressed his Management’s avowed pursuit of the welfare, health and safety of all staff of the commission especially with the provision of COVID-19 prevention safety gears.

Olayemi Daniyan

Yoruba

Àwọn Akẹ́kọ Ilé Ẹ̀kọ́ Gíga Nípinlẹ̀ Ọ̀yọ́ Wọ́de Lórí Ìyansẹ́lódì Ẹgbẹ́ ASUU

By Web News 752

Àwọn akẹ́kọ ilé ẹ̀kọ́ gíga nípinlẹ̀ ọ̀yọ́ lówurọ̀ òní péjọ sílé isẹ́ ìjọba àpapọ̀ láti fẹ̀húnúhàn lórí bí ìyansẹ́lódì ẹgbẹ́ àwọn olùkọ́ ilé ẹ̀kọ́ gíga ASUU, tise múkí wọn wà nílé fúngbà pípẹ́.

Àwọn akẹ́kọ náà tí wọ́n gbé àkọlé oníruru lọ́wọ́ ni wọ́n dí ẹnu ìloro ilé isẹ́ ọ̀ún.

Akọ̀ròyìn ilé isẹ́ Radio Nigeria jabọ̀ pé, òpópónà tó so agbègbè Custom mọ́ Gate n’ílu Ìbàdàn ni wọ́n gbégi dí.

Nínú ìfọ̀rọ̀wánilẹ́nu wò, àarẹ ẹgbẹ́ àwọn akẹ́kọ ẹ̀ka ti ilé-ẹ̀kọ́ gíga tìlú ìbàdàn, ọ̀gbẹ́ni Olusẹgun Akẹju ní ìwọ́de tí wọ́n se ni ò lọ́wọ́ ẹgbẹ́ òsèlú kankan tàbí ti ẹgbẹ́ ASUU nínú rárá.

Rotimi Famakin/Yẹmisi Dada

Health

Resident Doctors Embark On Indefinite Strike

By Web News 864

Federal government have been urged to acceed to the demands of the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, as they embark on indefinite strike.

Relatives of patients at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan stated this in an interview with Radio Nigeria.

Two of them, Mr. Rasheed Tiamiyu and Mrs. Ramota Sarumi said each time strike of this nature occurs many lives are lost.

Speaking, President National Association of Resident Doctors, UCH, Ibadan Dr. Adedayo Williams said the strike would be on until their demands which ranges from payment of the outstanding allowance to consequential adjustment of the national minimum wage was met.

Dr. Williams urged the presidency to look into the matter and treat it as an urgent one.

It would be recalled that the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, had issued a twenty one day ultimatum to government which elapsed on 17th of august 2020.

Lilian Ibomor

Economy

Labour Begin 3-Day Warning Strike in Ekiti

By Web News 851

Workers in Ekiti state on Monday complied with the three-day warning strike declared by the leadership of organised labour in the state to press home their demands.

At the Ekiti State Secretariat in Ado Ekiti, at some of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, only few workers were seen on ground.

The few workers on duty were seen in groups discussing the issue of the strike.

Also, entrances into some of the offices were locked while few offices were opened for management staff.

Similarly, reports from across the sixteen local governments of Ekiti state showed that council workers complied with warning strike.

However, council chairmen and other appointees as well as management staff were at their duty posts.

The Ekiti State Head of Service, Dr Peju Babafemi had earlier appealed to the organized labour to shelve the strike to enable the state government dialogue with them.

Amos Ogunrinde

Health

Doctors Threaten to Return to Strike

By Web News 704

Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued the federal government a three-week ultimatum to deliver on its promise made to the association to suspend its strike action.

NARD had earlier embarked on a nationwide strike last month which lasted for one week but was suspended at the plea of the government to meet its demands.

At a press conference in Abuja, President of the association, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba disclosed that the federal government was yet to meet its demands as promised and would resume strike action if their demands were not met within three weeks. Some of the demands include adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).

This claim, therefore, questions the statements of some Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) of government hospitals at a Joint Meeting with the Ministers of Health and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who said the government had provided adequate PPEs to hospitals.

Fielding questions from journalists on the subject, Dr. Sokomba said acclaimed PPEs by the CMDS does not get to the end-users who are the frontline health workers

Other demands by the association include the immediate removal of the CMD of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Professor Henry Ugboma on allegations of fraud, administrative rascality, victimisation, and abuse of office.

Nancy Anika

Health

Southwest Resident Doctors in Response to National Body Down Tools

By Web News 928

Resident doctors at the university of medical Sciences Teaching hospital in Ondo have fully complied with the strike ordered by the National Association of Resident Doctors yesterday.

When Radio Nigeria Visited the tertiary health facility in Ondo and its annexe in Akure, only consultants and medical officers were seeing attending to patients.

They were also being assisted by Nurses and other health workers as no patient was turned back

When contacted, the chairman, media committee of the resident doctors, Unimed chapter, Dr Taiwo Olagbe said their members had no choice than to stay away from work as directed by the national body to press home their demands from both state and federal government.

Click to listen

Dr Olagbe said up till now, the Ondo state government was owing resident doctors salary arrears despite all efforts by major stakeholders.

He appealed to Nigerians to reason with them as their action was also aimed at repositioning the health sector.

Similarly, activities at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta and the State General Hospital Ijaye, the Ogun State capital low key as resident doctors have joined the nationwide industrial action to press home their demands for better condition of service.

Radio Nigeria reporter who visited the centers, reports resident doctors were not at their duties posts while consultants were seen attending to patients at different departments in the hospitals.

Efforts to get the reactions of the resident doctors was not successful as their state officials were said to be attending a regional meeting outside the state capital

The management of the hospitals had however assured members of the general public of adequate services while the industrial action lasts. 

A Consultant Physician at the Federal Medical centre Idi- Aba, Dr. Sola Adebisi, while speaking with newsmen on the situation at the hospital, said the consultants would continue to attend to the patients pending the resolutions of the impasse.

He noted that structure had been put in place to ensure that patients access quality health care while the strike lasted.

Also, in Osun State, visitors to Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile Ife who required medical attention retuned back home in disappointment as there were no Doctors on hand to attend to them

No thanks to the ongoing national strike embarked upon by the Association of Residents Doctors in Nigeria.

However, it was not the case at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital in Osogbo, where doctors were on hand to attend to their out- patients.

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Bukola Bardi/Wale Oluokun/Adenitan Akinola

Health

Ogun Resident Doctors Embark on Three Day Warning Strike

By Web News 912

Resident Doctors at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, Ogun State, are to embark on a three-day warning strike from Monday 4th of May.

The doctors in a notice letter to the state government made available to newsmen in Abeokuta said the strike followed the refusal of the State government to yield to their agitations on the need for better welfare package.

The doctors through the letter accused the government of insensitivity to their plights.

The doctors said they decided to go on strike because of the noncommittal response to several letters written to the government and bemoaned the attitude of the government to the previous warning letters written to the government.

They however, exempted their members working at the COVID-19 Isolation center in the hospital from partaking in the strike.

The strike notice letter was jointly signed leaders of the resident doctors of the OOUTH, Dr. Popoola Mutiu and Dr. Osundara Tope.

Wale Oluokun