Industrial Court directs doctors, Nigerian govt to suspend hostilities as strike enters third week

The National Industrial Court, Abuja, on Monday ordered striking members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Federal Government to suspend all forms of hostilities and maintain the status quo.

Justice John Targema, the vacation judge in his ruling, gave the order pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Targema said that he granted the application after careful consideration of the processes filed by the applicants.

”Having looked especially on the affidavit of extreme urgency, the grounds of the application, the affidavit in support of same and arguments of counsel for the applicant.

”I also weighed the submissions and arguments of counsel on the law as it stands on this application.

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”It is hereby ordered that claimant/applicant and the defendant/respondent suspend all forms of hostilities forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice”, he said.

He further ordered that a hearing notice be issued, along with other processes which included the originating summons be served on the respondent and proof of service to be kept in the case file before the next adjourned date.

Targema adjourned the matter until Sept. 15 for a hearing of the motion on notice and/ or any other pending application on its merit.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that the applicants, the Ministry of Health and the Federal Government through the Ministry of Labour approached the court through an ex-parte motion praying for some order of the court.

The applicants had sought for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining members of the respondent in all States of the Federation from further continuing with the industrial action embarked on Aug. 2.

The NARD began the strike on Aug. 2, stating that it was due to the failure of the government to meet its demands after they entered a memorandum of action in 2014.

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