Abduction: FG threatens striking doctors with “no work, no pay” policy

By Folasade Akpan

The Federal Government says it will evoke the “No Work, No Pay” policy on members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) for the number of days that they observed the nationwide industrial action.
Mr Ado Bako, the Assistant Director, Information Public Relations, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the association embarked on a seven-day warning strike on Monday, to push home their demands on the Federal Government.
The demand is to secure the release of their colleague, Dr Ganiyat Popoola.
Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, was abducted in December 2023, along with her husband and nephew.
Her husband was later released, while Popoola and her nephew remained in captivity.
According to Bako, the measure is in line with extant law and is not intended to undermine the legitimate concerns of medical professionals.

The measure, he said, was to further ensure that essential healthcare services were not unduly disrupted to the detriment of the public.
He also said that the ministry was disappointed over NARD’s decision to embark on the seven-day warning strike, adding that its members disregarded all negotiations and plea attempts by the federal government to resolve the concerns.
According to Bako, the ministry in collaboration with relevant security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) had been working to ensure immediate and safe rescue of Dr Ganiyat Popoola.