23rd August, 2021
National Industrial Court, Abuja has ruled that the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) should suspend its ongoing nationwide strike.
The Federal Government dragged the group to the industrial court demanding an order of interlocutory injunction to stop the striking doctors from continuing their industrial action.
Judge John Targema, ruled in favour of the Federal Government on Monday as he restrained the doctors from continuing their strike.
Targema said his order was informed by the affidavit of extreme urgency, the grounds of the application, the affidavit in support of same and arguments of counsel for the applicant.
He also said he weighed the submissions and arguments of counsel on the law as it stands on this application.
Then he declared: “It is hereby ordered that claimant/applicant and the defendant/respondent suspend all forms of hostilities forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
In September last year, the Industrial Court had also intervened in a similar strike by doctors.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Ibrahim Galadima, the court ordered that NARD should resume duties forthwith pending determination of the pending Motion on Notice .
Galadima made the order sequel to an ex parte application filed by Frank Tietie, counsel to the applicant, Citizens Advocacy for Social&Economic Rights and Association of Women in Trade&Agriculture.
In the application, the applicant had prayed for an interim order of the court directing the NARD, being a provider of the essential services of health necessary to the fundamental right to life, to immediately cease its strike action and resume duties forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
Later, government signed a memorandum of understanding with the doctors.
The non-implementation of the MOU is at the centre of the current strike.