The federal government has attributed the ongoing industrial dispute with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to structural and policy constraints, insisting that the situation is not a result of neglect.
Resident doctors had announced plans to commence a nationwide strike from January 12, citing the government’s failure to fully address long-standing welfare and professional demands.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interview on an AIT programme, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, minister of state for health and social welfare, said the government remains committed to industrial harmony and uninterrupted healthcare delivery.
According to Salako, the standoff is largely driven by systemic and policy-related challenges rather than a lack of concern for health workers.
He said while the government recognises the need to improve the remuneration of health workers, such decisions must be balanced against competing national priorities, including education, security and infrastructure.
Salako noted that the Tinubu administration approved an upward review of health workers’ professional allowances in November 2025, a move that added nearly N90 billion to annual government expenditure.
He said the adjustment covers call duty, shift duty, non-clinical duty and rural posting allowances, and was the outcome of joint negotiations involving multiple health professional groups.
The minister explained that past negotiations were often conducted separately with different professional bodies, a practice he said contributed to internal disputes within the health sector.
“To address this, the ministry adopted a collective bargaining approach that brought doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists and other health professionals to the table,” he said.
On NARD’s demands, Salako disclosed that the association’s requests have reduced from 19 to nine, which he described as evidence of progress in ongoing discussions.
He added that some outstanding demands are limited by existing civil service regulations and approved schemes of service.
Addressing the call for a specialist allowance for resident doctors, Salako said resident doctors are specialists-in-training and that current regulations reserve such allowances for consultants.
He said the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission advised against extending the allowance to resident doctors, warning it could trigger similar demands from other health workers undergoing specialist training.
The minister also dismissed claims of government inaction on certification issues, explaining that the National Postgraduate Medical College does not issue certificates after Part I examinations, a policy he said the ministry cannot override.
On the controversy involving five resident doctors disengaged in Lokoja, Salako said the matter arose from civil service disciplinary procedures.
He disclosed that a ministerial review committee has recommended the reinstatement of two doctors, reprimand for two others, and a fresh disciplinary hearing for one, in line with due process.
Salako assured Nigerians that the ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and other stakeholders, remains committed to dialogue aimed at stabilising the health sector, maintaining industrial peace and preventing disruptions to healthcare services.
