Nigerian govt invokes ‘no work, no pay’ rule on striking doctors

The Federal Government says it has invoked a ‘no work, no pay’ rule on striking resident doctors who have refused to suspend their ongoing strike despite the government meeting most of their demands.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, on Thursday, sent the warning to members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), saying it was necessary to put the striking doctors in line as they “have no basis for going on strike at this time” as the Coronavirus pandemic third wave is ravaging the country.

He added that “no work, no pay” rule is recognised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Ehanire, while speaking at a briefing organised by the Presidential Media Team in Abuja, told the doctors who started their strike on August 2, that the country is currently facing a virulent third wave of COVID-19 pandemic, and cholera outbreak, which has claimed hundreds of lives and an emerging Marburg virus across the globe.

The minister noted that most of the demands raised by the striking doctors were under the jurisdiction of state governments and as such, their strike was unconstitutional.

“We have said openly that this is not a good time for doctors to go on strike. We’re having a strike for the third time this year, that is not good. We have appealed to them.

“We have been having long meetings with young doctors to tell them that look, we have a certain responsibility to our country.

Read also: ‘I’ve warned my sons not to join the nonsense strike by doctors’ —Ngige

“Every country in difficult situation at this time should understand that responsibility is on all of us; if you have any problem, any grudge let’s talk about it. If we can’t solve it now, let’s continue talking about it until we fine solution but don’t drop work.

“I think Nigeria is probably the only country in the world today where doctors are dropping work in the middle of a threat to the whole country. So that’s what we have advised. There has been no threat.

“Nobody threatened anything. We are just appealing, all of us are doctors, all of us went through the same residency.

”We’re saying this is not the time, let’s continue to talk about it. Do not put people’s lives at risk. That’s what the Minister of Labour has been saying, that is what the Minister of Health has been saying. Nobody has threatened anybody with anything.”

Ehanire declared that the ‘no work, no pay’ rule is a standard procedure that must be enforced. He added that the ILO recommendation stipilates that if “you did not work, then why will you take your salary from taxpayers money.”

“So, if you did not work, why should you be paid? Because if that is so, you can be encouraged to stay home for six months and your salary is running from public funds, from tax payers money, when you have not given the community any service.

“So, that ‘no work, no pay’ is not just the government’s regulation, it is specifically stated in International Labour Organisation that if you do not work, if you have not given any service, you can’t expect regulation.”

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