Association accuses government of insincerity, demands urgent settlement of unpaid allowances, arrears, and restoration of certificate recognition
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has handed the Federal Government and state authorities a final 10-day ultimatum to meet a list of outstanding demands or face the reality of a crippling nationwide strike across the country’s health sector.
The doctors, in a communiqué signed by their President, Dr. Tope Osundara; General Secretary, Dr. Oluwasola Odunbaku; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr. Omoha Amobi, warned that industrial harmony could no longer be guaranteed if their grievances were ignored. The resolution followed an Extraordinary National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting held virtually on Sunday, during which the association accused the government of failing to act in good faith despite several opportunities for dialogue.
NARD recalled that it had first issued a three-week ultimatum in July, later extending it by another three weeks in hopes of progress. According to the association, the extension yielded no concrete results as most of their long-standing demands remain unmet. Among the most pressing issues, the doctors cited the non-payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) to many eligible members, as well as the failure to settle five months of arrears arising from the 25 to 35 percent of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) review.
The association further expressed outrage at the government’s failure to release the 2024 Accoutrement Allowance, alongside accumulated salary arrears, which it described as both unfair and demoralizing. It also condemned the “unjust downgrading” of postgraduate membership certificates from the West African Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). In addition, the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) was accused of undue delays in issuing certificates to successful candidates, leaving many young doctors stranded in their career progression.
At the state level, NARD singled out the Kaduna State Government for allegedly reneging on agreements reached with members at the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital despite signing Memoranda of Understanding. Similarly, the Oyo State Government was accused of neglecting the welfare of doctors at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomosho, where resident doctors have already downed tools indefinitely.
While commending states that have fulfilled their obligation by paying the 2025 MRTF, the E-NEC insisted that the Federal Government and other state governments must show the same level of commitment. Among the key demands listed were immediate payment of the 2025 MRTF to all beneficiaries, settlement of the outstanding five months of CONMESS arrears, payment of the 2024 Accoutrement Allowance, and the commencement of specialist allowance payments to doctors across the country.
The association also demanded urgent restoration of recognition for postgraduate membership certificates of the West African Colleges by the MDCN, the prompt release of certificates by the NPMCN, and full implementation of the 2024 CONMESS in Kaduna State. It urged all governors to prioritise the welfare of doctors in their respective states as a measure to curb the alarming rate of brain drain and ensure stability within the health sector.
“The E-NEC has extended the ultimatum by a final 10 days to all relevant government agencies to meet these demands. Failure to do so by Wednesday, September 10, 2025, will leave us with no option but to embark on a nationwide strike,” the communiqué stated in a stern warning.
NARD maintained that the government’s continued insincerity and failure to honour its promises not only jeopardises industrial peace but also threatens to worsen the country’s already fragile healthcare delivery system. With the final deadline fast approaching, attention now shifts to whether the authorities will act decisively to avert what could become another nationwide paralysis in Nigeria’s health sector.
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