By Mercy Gadia Adi
The Federal Government has pushed back against claims of neglect in its ongoing standoff with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), insisting that unresolved structural and policy constraints, not indifference, are at the heart of the dispute, even as it points to a ₦90 billion annual increase in health workers’ allowances as proof of its commitment to industrial harmony.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the clarification on Tuesday during an interview on Kaakaki, an African Independent Television (AIT) programme, where he outlined the government’s efforts to address the demands of resident doctors and curb the cycle of strikes that has long plagued Nigeria’s health sector.
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Dr Salako said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare accords high priority to industrial peace and uninterrupted healthcare delivery but must balance wage demands in the health sector with competing national obligations in education, security and infrastructure, within the constraints of available revenue.
He disclosed that the Tinubu administration, in November 2025, approved an upward review of professional allowances for health workers, increasing government expenditure by nearly ₦90 billion annually. The review, he said, covers call duty, shift duty, non-clinical duty and rural posting allowances and was the outcome of joint negotiations involving all recognised health worker groups.
According to the minister, previous engagements with government were often conducted in silos, with different professional bodies negotiating separately, resulting in conflicting agreements on pay parity and relativity and, ultimately, recurring industrial actions. To end the cycle, he said the ministry adopted a collective bargaining framework that brought doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists and other health professionals to the negotiating table simultaneously.
On the demands by NARD, Dr Salako noted that the association’s requests had reduced from 19 to nine, reflecting progress in discussions. He added, however, that some outstanding issues are constrained by extant civil service rules and approved schemes of service.
Addressing the demand for specialist allowances for resident doctors, the minister explained that residents are specialists-in-training, while existing regulations restrict specialist allowances to consultants. He said the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission had advised against extending the allowance to residents, warning that it could trigger similar claims from other health workers undergoing specialist training.
Dr Salako also dismissed allegations of government inaction on certification matters, clarifying that the National Postgraduate Medical College does not issue certificates after Part I examinations — a policy he said the ministry lacks the authority to overturn.
On the controversy surrounding the disengagement of five resident doctors in Lokoja, the minister said the matter arose from civil service disciplinary procedures. He revealed that a ministerial review committee had recommended the reinstatement of two doctors, reprimand for two others and a fresh disciplinary hearing for one, in line with due process.
While acknowledging public frustration over repeated doctors’ strikes, Dr Salako noted that industrial actions by medical professionals are not unique to Nigeria, citing similar disputes in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe.
He assured Nigerians that the health ministry, working with the Federal Ministry of Labour and other stakeholders, remains committed to sustained dialogue aimed at stabilising the sector, safeguarding industrial harmony and preventing future disruptions to healthcare delivery.