[News] Resident doctors reject court order to suspend strike, to appeal ruling

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has rejected the court which ordered suspension of their ongoing strike.

 

LIB reported that Justice Bashir Alkali gave the ruling on Friday September 17, following an interlocutory application brought by the Federal Government of Nigeria and Federal Ministry of Health against the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

 

However in a statement signed by NARD’s President Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, and Jerry Isogun, the group’s secretary-general, the National Industrial Court in Abuja was accused of denying the doctors fair hearing by refusing to hear their objection, before taking the government’s application for interlocutory injunction.

 

NARD said it has instructed its lawyers to appeal the ruling and file an application for stay of execution.

 

The statement read;

 

“As we are all aware, especially those that were present in court today (Friday), the NIC has given a ruling on the application for interlocutory injunction filed by the Federal Government.

“We are not satisfied with the ruling. After consultations with our lawyers, we have instructed our lawyers to appeal the ruling and file an application for stay of execution.

“Also, our lawyers drew the attention of the court to our application for stay of execution of the ex parte order and that the court should take that application first. The court insisted that the government application would be taken first.

“On 15/9/21, the court ordered all parties to resume negotiations. The government refused to resume negotiations in line with the order of 23/8/21. Our lawyers reported this development to the court. We have demonstrated good faith and would continue to do so.”