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Resident doctors threaten nationwide strike, write govt

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Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the government fails to meet the demands of its members by the end of January.

The association, in a letter to the minister of health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, entitled: “Imminent Nationwide Industrial Disharmony in Health Sector: A matter of urgent administrative importance”, said it issued an ultimatum to the federal government six months ago on account of lingering unresolved issues affecting resident doctors in the country.

“Recall Sir, that NARD issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government six months ago on account of lingering unresolved issues affecting our members, including the irregularities in the new circular on upward review of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) and outstanding payment of the arrears of the new hazard allowance.

“Non-payment of the skipping arrears for 2014, 2015 and 2016, non-payment of the consequential adjustment of minimum wage to some of our members, delay in the upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), salary arrears of our members in State Tertiary Health Institutions running into several months, including Abia, Imo, Ondo, Ekiti and Gombe States, and non-domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act (MRTA) in most states across the Federation.

“We sincerely appreciate the efforts of government through its ministries, departments and agencies in resolving some of the issues raised.

“However, many of them remain largely unresolved and have now become sources of serious nationwide agitation threatening industrial peace and harmony in the health sector.

“Notable ones among them include omitted 2020 MRTF payment, irregularities in the new MRTF circular inconsistent with the Medical Residency Training Act, existing Collective Bargaining Agreements and current economic realities, and review of CONMESS salary Structure.”

The association disclosed that its January 2023 National Executive Council meeting had been scheduled for January 24 to 28, 2023, and that the meeting might be followed by a nationwide strike.

“We can confirm very clear feelers that if these issues are not sorted out before that meeting, our members will likely give us mandate to immediately kick-start processes that will lead to a nationwide industrial disharmony in the health sector.

“Sir, we know how critical this period is and the chaos that will ensue if government does not take steps to prevent this from happening and so we humbly implore you to use your good offices to resolve these issues before our January NEC meeting,” the association said.

Tags: National Executive Council, NEC, government, health, Federal Government, State

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Speaker Tunis Pledges Support For ECOFEPA

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By Gloria Ikibah

Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Dr. Sidie Mohammed Tunis, has pledged his unflinching support for the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association Network ECOFEPA in its attempts to increase participation for self-development in politics and entrepreneurship.

Speaker Tunis who stated this at the formal opening of ECOFEPA Women and Youth Leadership symposium, on the sidelines of the Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Guinea Bissau, with the theme: Unleashing the potentials of Women and Youth in Politics and Entrepreneurship; asserted that the meeting epitomizes the action stage for women’s involvement in decision-making bodies.

He also commended ECOFEPA for always beaming their search light on issues that affect women and youth in the ECOWAS Sub-region and for firmly reinforcing the need to mentor the next generation of decision makers to bridge existing gaps and bestow sound political and decision-making legacies to them, reaffirming that until they as Members of Parliament replicate ourselves in the younger generation in multiple dimensions to deliver a democratic system that is anchored on good governance and societal growth and development, they cannot credit themselves for success.

Dr. Tunis acknowledged that the event amplifies ECOFEPA’s deliberate resolve to consistently pursue the dreams of its founding Members and recommend for members of Parliament to track generational transfer of knowledge, skills and all it takes to tackle the challenges of the future ahead.

In her address, the 2nd Vice President of ECOFEPA, Madam Gabriella Fernandes, commended the ECOWAS Commission for its outstanding support in enhancing the activities of the association to achieve its goals for women’s integration and empowerment in politics.

She said that the resources mobilized by the ECOWAS Commission will allow the association to host its upcoming symposium in Togo March 2023.

Hon. Fernandes reiterated that the symposium will spark the beginning of efforts to launch their projects and synchronize activities in the areas of leadership and entrepreneurship, which have the propensity to boomerang and catapult women’s advancement into decision-making in the ECOWAS region.

Earlier, the Youth Representative for the West Africa Youth Assembly, Mamadu Djalo, said everyone is aware of the social pressure and barriers that women and youth face daily, in trying to climb up to the political power, and employed men in Africa who control the political powers, to ensure that such power is balanced.

According to Djalo, Women and youth are very isolated for too long, and that there is need for the men to work together with both youth and Women to fill the sense of belonging, as the deliberation cannot be realistic without the participation of the youth and women.

She therefore called for the creation of a youth parliament in order to give them a voice.

Tags: Politics, Africa, growth, women, President, ECOWAS

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Again, one injured as container crushes bus in Oshodi

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By Francesca Iwambe

A 20-ft container crushed a commercial bus in the Oshodi area of Lagos State on Wednesday afternoon, injuring a commercial bus driver.

It was gathered that this is the latest container-related accident experienced in the state in the space of three days.

Eye witnessed confirmed that Wednesday’s accident at Oshodi was caused by a brake failure.

While the passengers in the bus were said to have escaped without an injury, the same could not be said of the bus driver whose degree of injury could not be ascertained as of press time.

Eight people were crushed to death by a 20-ft container that fell off a truck in the Ojuelegba area of Lagos on Sunday.

This is coming barely 24 hours after the Ojuelegba tragedy, a 40-ft container fell off another truck in the Dopemu area of the state on Monday, causing traffic on the road.