The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a fresh 30-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address long-standing welfare and policy demands or risk industrial action.
The demands, contained in a communiqué at the end of NARD’s 45th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Katsina State, include settlement of unpaid salary arrears, promotion entitlements, accoutrement allowances, and reinstatement of five dismissed doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.
The meeting, themed “Mitigating Health Worker Migration through Extra-Remuneration Incentives: A Strategy for Sustainable Development”, also saw Dr. Mohammad Suleiman elected as NARD president, succeeding Dr. Tope Osundara.
“The AGM demands prompt settlement of arrears from the CONMESS review, accoutrement allowance, and reinstatement of the sacked doctors within 30 days,” the communiqué read. It was signed by Dr. Suleiman, Secretary-General Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, and Publicity Secretary Dr. Abdulmajid Ibrahim.
The doctors condemned unsafe working conditions, calling on the Federal Ministry of Health to immediately regulate duty hours. With effect from October 1, 2025, members nationwide have been directed to stop exceeding 24 hours of continuous call duty in line with global best practices.
Other demands include:
- Payment of outstanding 25/35 per cent CONMESS review arrears and 2024 accoutrement allowance.
- Settlement of accumulated promotion arrears and corrected professional allowances.
- Implementation of a one-for-one replacement policy to address brain drain.
- Recognition of West African postgraduate certificates and decentralisation of residency training.
- Immediate implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act.
NARD also urged Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to resolve welfare issues at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomosho, and demanded full implementation of CONMESS circulars across federal, state, and private medical institutions.
On policy, the association vowed to intensify lobbying of the National Assembly for increased health sector funding in the 2026 budget and pressed for the immediate rollout of special pension benefits for doctors.