Members of the National Association of Resident Doctors, Cross River State chapter, have said they are not moved by the threat made by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige to sack them if they don’t call off their strike and return to work.
The President of the state chapter of the association who spoke with our correspondent in Calabar on Saturday evening said Ngige’s threat was humorous and vowed that the strike would continue until the government meets their demands.
According to Udoh, “Ngige’s threat is humorous. It is quite humorous. What punishment do we give the Federal Government for people who have worked and have not been paid and have been put through untold hardship?
“If you are coming to the equity you have to come with clean hands. We are not moved by the threat. We have had this kind of thing before and it doesn’t move us.”
On the way forward, he said, “The strike continues until they call our leaders for a negotiation.”
The NARD nationwide strike began on August 2 to compel the Federal Government to implement the memorandum of understanding entered into with the doctors in March this year on the welfare and other issues affecting members of the association.
Ngige had threatened to sack them and replace them with new doctors by Monday, August 9 if they failed to return to work.
Ada Peter
