27th August, 2023
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Cross River State chapter has called off its 40-day strike to seek the release of their kidnapped colleague, Professor Ekanem Ephraim.
Ephraim was kidnapped on July 13 from her facility in Mountain of Fire, off Atimbo Road, in Calabar Municipality Local Government Area (LGA), Cross River.
Dr. Felix Archibong, the state chairman of the association, told journalists in Calabar on Saturday that the decision to stop the strike was made at an emergency meeting with the group’s members earlier that day.
Archibong noted that they were not indifferent to the predicament of Cross Riverians, but were also aware that medical doctors are human beings with families who must not be abused or dehumanised by kidnappers.
Speaking, the NMA Chairman said, “Arising from an emergency meeting from our secretariat today, following an appeal letter from the governor of the state, Sen. Bassey Otu, the Congress decided to suspend the strike for two weeks.”
“We also heeded the advice of our national president to give the government a soft landing; hence the decision to suspend the strike. We have given the government two weeks to get our colleague back alive.
“If any of our members are kidnapped within this period, we won’t hesitate to go back to continue the industrial action, but we want to give the government the benefit of the doubt based on the appeal of the governor and the assurance he has given us that she is still alive and will regain her freedom.”
“We are not calling off the industrial action; we only suspended it because, according to the governor, a lot of Cross Riverians are suffering and many are dying,” the NMA chairman said.
“As an association, we are not aware because we have not been going to our offices since the strike was declared. We only want to allow the government to fulfil the promise it has made, and we have started seeing positive steps as the security presence has increased in the metropolis.
“We are also appealing to those behind her abduction to please release her. We are not trying to flex muscles with anyone, but all we ask for is the release of our colleague back to us alive.”