Chris Nyamtu
Resident doctors in Nasarawa State have begun mobilising their members to resume an indefinite strike if the Federal Government fails to address their demands by Monday.
The President of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal University of Lafia Teaching Hospital Chapter, Dr Jude Yekpowudu, disclosed this during a news briefing after an emergency congress of the association held in Lafia.
Dr Yekpowudu explained that the meeting was convened to brief members on the decision of the national leadership of the association to commence preparations to resume the earlier suspended nationwide strike on Monday, January 12, 2026, following what he described as the Federal Government’s failure to meet the doctors’ demands.
According to him, resident doctors had given the Federal Government sufficient time after suspending the strike, but there had been no meaningful commitment toward resolving the issues.
“The Federal Government requested that we suspend the strike and give them two weeks to address our demands. We agreed and extended the period to one month, which elapsed in December 2025. We further granted an additional 12 days, and upon expiration, we will proceed to resume the nationwide strike if our demands are not met,” he said.
Dr Yekpowudu noted that none of the association’s 19 demands had been addressed. He listed some of the unresolved issues to include the non-implementation of the revised professional allowance table, which has remained pending for over seven years, the reversal of the entry level of resident doctors to CONMESS 3 Step 3, and the harmonisation of salary structures for Medical House Officers.
He added that resident doctors in Nasarawa State had resolved to fully comply with the directive of the national leadership and would resume the strike on Monday if the Federal Government fails to take proactive steps to address the outstanding issues. (Radio Nigeria)