The Federal Government has explained the ongoing face-off with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), insisting that the disagreement stems from structural and policy constraints rather than neglect, as it disclosed the recent approval of a ₦90 billion annual increase in health workers’ allowances.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the clarification on Tuesday during an interview on AIT’s Kaakaki programme, where he outlined measures taken by the Tinubu administration to address the concerns of resident doctors and prevent recurring strikes in the health sector.
Salako said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare remains committed to uninterrupted healthcare delivery, but noted that government must balance salary demands with other pressing national responsibilities, including education, security and infrastructure, within limited resources.
According to him, the administration demonstrated its goodwill in November 2025 by approving an upward review of professional allowances for health workers, a move that added nearly ₦90 billion to government expenditure annually.
He explained that the revised allowances cover call duty, shift duty, non-clinical duty and rural posting allowances, and were reached through joint negotiations involving all professional groups in the health sector.
The minister noted that past engagements with health workers were often fragmented, with individual professional bodies negotiating separately, a situation that resulted in conflicting agreements and frequent industrial actions. To address this, he said the ministry adopted a collective bargaining framework bringing together doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists and other health workers.
On NARD’s demands, Salako revealed that negotiations had made progress, with the association’s requests reduced from 19 to nine, although some outstanding issues remain constrained by civil service rules and approved schemes of service.
He clarified that the demand for specialist allowance by resident doctors could not be met, explaining that resident doctors are specialists-in-training, while specialist allowances are reserved for consultants under existing regulations.
Salako added that the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission advised against extending the allowance to resident doctors, warning that such a move could trigger similar claims from other health professionals undergoing specialist training.
He also dismissed claims that government was inactive on certification matters, stating that the National Postgraduate Medical College does not issue certificates after Part I examinations, a policy beyond the ministry’s authority to alter.
Addressing the controversy over the disengagement of five resident doctors in Lokoja, the minister said due civil service procedures were followed. He disclosed that a ministerial review committee recommended the reinstatement of two doctors, reprimand for two others, and a fresh disciplinary hearing for one, in line with due process.
While acknowledging public concern over frequent strikes in the health sector, Salako noted that industrial actions by doctors are not unique to Nigeria, citing similar disputes in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe.
He assured Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and other stakeholders, remains committed to sustained dialogue to stabilise the health sector, ensure industrial harmony and prevent future disruptions to healthcare services.
