The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called off its seven-day nationwide warning strike, directing its members to resume work today, Monday, September 2, 2024. The strike was initiated to protest the abduction of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna.
Dr. Popoola was kidnapped on December 27, 2023, along with her husband and nephew. While her husband was released in March, both Dr. Popoola and her nephew remain in captivity, which prompted the strike.
Despite the Federal Government’s threat to enforce a ‘no work, no pay’ policy against the striking doctors, NARD remained firm in their demands. Speaking on Sunday, NARD President, Dr. Dele Abdullahi, confirmed the suspension of the strike but emphasized that the association would assess the government’s commitment to resolving their demands over the next three weeks.
“We are suspending the strike now and will resume work on Monday, September 2, 2024, at 8 a.m. The government’s engagement has improved slightly, but we hope they will maintain this current approach,” Dr. Abdullahi stated.
