“No Work, No Pay,” Ngige Warns Striking Doctors.

Nigeria’s Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige has revealed that if the striking residential doctors fail to resume by next week, he would invoke the “no work, no pay rule”.

This comes after the National Association of Residential Doctors commenced an indefinite strike due to the alleged failure of the Federal Government to honour an agreement reached with the association.

Since the commencement of the strike on Monday, August 2, 2021, efforts to persuade the doctors to call off the strike and return to work has not yielded meaningful results.

However speaking in an interview with newsmen the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige has threatened to invoke his powers against the doctors if they continue with the strike.

“Next week I’ll escalate this issue because reconciliation has failed.”

“I won’t meet them anymore because I have other things to do. I did two conciliation yesterday. Am I going to be wasting my time with them?

“I have other tools within the labour laws and I will do it. I invoked Section 43 of the labour laws this afternoon. I have communicated it to NARD. They will not receive money for the period they are on strike and it will never count as a period of pensionable position in their career.

“Even the International Labour Organisation supports it because they render essential services. They are not supposed to go on strike without notifying me 15 days before the day of strike.

“As we speak, I have not received any notification that is why I am invoking Section 43 of the Labour Act on withdrawal of services, right to strike and the right to protect the employer and their patients.

“Things will happen next week. Let them wait because they are taking the government for a ride and it is wrong. They are playing with lives.

“My children are medical doctors and I have warned them not to be part of this nonsense strike.” Ngige said.

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