The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has rejected the Federal Ministry of Labour’s recent claims that 19 out of the union’s 20 demands have been met, saying that the Ministry was  “deliberately making misleading claims” as the ongoing nationwide doctors’ strike entered its third week

President of NARD, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman in a statement released on Thursday, accused the Ministry of misrepresenting “the state of negotiations and peddling half-truths to the Nigerian public.”

The Ministry of Labour and productivity recently claimed that  “19 out of 20” of the doctors’ demands had already been met, an assertion NARD says is not only false but “a calculated attempt to undermine the legitimate struggle of Nigerian doctors.”

According to gtghe Resident Doctors, its own review showed that none of the association’s 19 core demands had been fully implemented as claimed by the ministry.

The union said its Extra-Ordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on 17th November 2025, found “no verifiable progress,” contrary to the Ministry’s assertion that payments for the 25%/35% CONMESS adjustment and 2024 accoutrement allowances had commenced. NARD stated that its members had not received any such payments.

NARD also disputed the Ministry’s position on unresolved arrears, noting that government agencies were still in the process of compiling lists of affected doctors in facilities including FTH Lokoja, FMC Owo, and UITH. The association said the continued compilation of lists after years of discussions reflected a lack of implementation.

The association further responded to the Ministry’s announcement of new committees to address manpower shortages, casualisation, and the disengagement of five doctors at FTH Lokoja. NARD said it preferred immediate reinstatement of the affected doctors and full implementation of a one-for-one replacement policy, rather than the creation of additional committees which it described as “nothing more than bureaucratic waiting rooms designed to postpone real actions.”

On the issue of the unsigned Memorandum of Understanding, NARD said it declined to endorse the document because it lacked clear timelines and concrete commitments. The union said it would not sign agreements based on pending or unfulfilled promises.

“We will not sign a paper filled with recycled promises and no binding timelines. An MoU without guarantees is not worth the paper it is written on.”

NARD reaffirmed that the nationwide strike, which began on 1 November, would continue until its minimum demands are met.

These include reinstatement and compensation for the five disengaged Lokoja doctors, immediate payment of corrected allowances and salary arrears, full implementation of the one-for-one replacement policy, and resolution of other outstanding welfare and administrative issues.

The association urged the Federal Government to prioritise implementation over public statements, noting that previous negotiations had not produced measurable outcomes, as it warned that the nation’s healthcare system was at a critical tipping point.

NARD criticised the Ministry for lecturing doctors on labour laws while frequently breaching timelines and agreements.

“We find it ironic that the Ministry lectures NARD on respecting labour lows while
consistently disregarding the fundamental rights of workers and flouting mutually
agreed upon timelines.

“Our patience has been exhausted by years of conciliatory meetings that yield nothing but press releases filled with hollow victories.
NARD remains open to dialogue, but this dialogue must be result oriented. We call
on the government to shift its energy from crafting misleading press statements to
undertaking the concrete actions required to resolve this crisis.

“The health of our nation is in the balance, and the responsibility to restore stability lies squarely with the government.”