News

Resident Doctors’ Strike Bites Harder As Hospitals Discharge Patients

Published

2 years ago

August 1, 2023

It is hardly the ideal time for Nigerians seeking medical care, especially at the nation’s tertiary health facilities, as the National Association of Resident Doctors, or NARD, has crippled hospital services and abandoned patients to their fate due to its nationwide total and indefinite strike.

A visit to some of the hospitals revealed total compliance with the strike as only a few Consultants and House Officers were rendering skeletal services to patients with serious complaints.

However, new appointments were not given to patients as doctors were absent from their duty posts to do that.

Although the Consultants who are senior doctors were attending to emergency cases, many patients were turned back, including patients that required surgery.

Our correspondent gathered that despite the recent announcement by the Federal Government’s of 25 percent salary increase, the striking doctors have remained adamant.

For the doctors, it is either the Federal government meets their stated demands or they are not returning to work. Some were even quoted as saying that patients should go to the President for their medical treatment.

At the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, NOHIL; Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, to other tertiary health institutions nationwide, including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja the situation was the same.

For instance, at both the LUTH and LASUTH on Monday, hospital services were disrupted following the strike. Some of the patients who spoke to Good Health Weekly, lamented the effects of the strike.

Some patients who were attended to but asked to return after the doctors resumed, gave kudos to the Consultants who attended to them, even as others that were turned back or left unattended, decried the high cost of transportation to and from the hospitals.

Around 11:00 am when our correspondent visited LUTH, a few patients were seen in the waiting areas. Although there were skeletal services in some of the hospital clinics, a number of patients claimed they were told to go back home, as doctors were not on the ground to give out appointment dates.

At the surgery department, a patient told our correspondent that although it was her first time at the hospital, she was lucky to be among patients asked to stay.

The patient who identified herself as Jennifer said: “The doctors are on strike. I was told to come back on Thursday. I was referred here for surgery. They have many patients here, if these few doctors are not working, you can imagine thousands of patients that would have died today. Many of these patients paid so much to be here but were sent home unattended,.

“I pray that the government answers them fast. Nigerians are suffering. I am coming all the way from Ikorodu to this place. It is not funny as transportation is high.”

Another patient encountered at the Pharmacy area, claimed that the doctors were attending to patients based on the seriousness of their ailment.

“Not every patient is being attended to. Some people that came in the morning along with me were not attended to. The doctor did not even waste time with me but asked me to get some of these drugs.”

A nurse at LUTH who did not want her name in print told Good Health Weekly, that patients in the wards have been discharged and that only a few that are unable to go home were still in the wards.

“We are not admitting new patients and those in the wards have been discharged. We have a few patients in the ward that cannot be discharged. Consultants are coming around to check them but many have been discharged. Many of them were discharged over the weekend. If you have patients please tell such patients to go to other hospitals, not LUTH. The doctors are on indefinite strike and no one knows when they will return to work,” she stressed.

Also at LASUTH, a man who brought his mother to the hospital was asked to take her to another hospital.

According to the man, who identified himself as Mr Ugo, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, but a nurse at the Oncology department advised him to take her to another hospital and they could not get another appointment since doctors were on strike.

Confirming the situation at LUTH, the Vice President of LUTH-ARD, Dr Omogbolahan Adenuga, maintained that the strike at the hospital remained total and indefinite.

“We have told our members to stay at home but Consultants and House Officers are working.”

He said the strike will only end when the government is ready to negotiate with them and meet their demands.

Asked what happens to patients, Adenuga who stated that patients should be sent to the President for treatment, argued that they were demanding the review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to its rightful value.

“Though the government has done something, we vehemently reject that paltry 25 per cent. They have also given a 25 per cent allowance quarterly; it is ridiculous we have told them that we don’t want it.

“In this job, you must be mentally okay before making decisions on people’s lives. We are saying that what they are offering cannot take us home again; we are saying that the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure should be reviewed.

“To review this is to tackle brain drain. Doctors are travelling abroad because of poor infrastructure, poor welfare, and poor working conditions, among others. These are the things we are asking for, and I don’t think these things we are asking for are too much.”

Adenuga disclosed that they had discharged patients in the wards and were not seeing patients presently.

“All Resident Doctors are at home. We are not working for now. We are not taking new patients for now. All patients should stay at home for now or they should be taken to the Federal Government,” he stated.

Also, giving an update on possible negotiation with the medical doctors, the National President of NARD, Dr Emeka Orji said the Federal government had not reached out to them.

News

Parents Accuse FG Of Neglect As BEA Scholars Go Hungry Abroad

Published

8 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

The Forum of Parents and Guardians of Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholars has issued a distress call to the Federal Government following what they describe as three years of systemic neglect of Nigerian students studying abroad under the BEA scholarship programme.

During a press briefing in Abuja, the group narrated harrowing accounts of students stranded across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa due to the prolonged non-payment of stipends.

The situation, they say, has now resulted in the death of a scholar in Morocco, with fears that more tragedies may occur.

This incident has sparked anger and renewed calls for urgent intervention.

During a press briefing in Abuja, the affected group shared harrowing accounts of students stranded across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa due to the prolonged non-payment of stipends.

The situation has escalated to the point where a scholar has lost their life in Morocco, raising fears of further tragedies.

The group revealed that the Federal Scholarship Board (FSB) has consistently failed to pay scholars their full entitlements for three consecutive years.

In the current year, no stipend payments have been made to any BEA scholar since the beginning of the year.

Furthermore, in 2024, the monthly allowance was reduced from the stipulated $500 to $220, leaving students unable to secure accommodation, food, medical care, or basic utilities.

In 2023, scholars faced a two-month payment gap and an additional four months of arrears that remain unresolved.

The crisis reached a breaking point when Bashir Malami, a Nigerian BEA scholar in Morocco, passed away on Saturday, November 8, 2025. Malami’s death was attributed to his inability to access timely medical treatment due to the lack of funds.

The parents’ protest at the Ministry of Finance in Abuja yesterday highlighted the dire situation.

No reform can succeed if integrity is compromised, Tinubu tells Judges
They expressed their concerns about their children being “hungry, homeless, depressed, and slipping into medical crises.”

Many students are also facing challenges in obtaining visas and residency due to their inability to meet the financial requirements of their host countries.

Abang Matthew, representing the Parents’ Forum, expressed deep sorrow over the recent loss of their children, emphasising that their death was preventable. He attributed this tragedy to the government’s failure to provide adequate support to the scholars who were sent abroad.

The Parents’ Forum has come to the attention of many other scholars who are grappling with deteriorating mental and physical health. Simultaneously, parents in Nigeria are facing immense financial difficulties, resorting to borrowing, selling assets, and drowning in debt to support their children’s education abroad.

Over the past year, the Parents’ Forum said it has made repeated efforts to reach out to relevant authorities, including the Federal Scholarship Board, Federal Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, National Assembly, and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

Despite these efforts, they alleged that they have not received any concrete response, even as the crisis continues to escalate.

In response to this urgent situation, the Parents’ Forum called on President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Education, and the National Assembly to take immediate action.

Their demands include the immediate release of all outstanding scholarship arrears, which amount to over 16 months unpaid.

Additionally, they seek the restoration of the original $500 monthly stipend as outlined in the award letters and signed agreements, as well as the establishment of a predictable and transparent payment framework to prevent future administrative delays.

The parents believe that the plight of BEA scholars is a national embarrassment and poses a significant risk to Nigeria’s future. They express concern that this situation could result in the loss of some of the country’s most talented young professionals in fields such as medicine, engineering, agriculture, diplomacy, and technology.

The Forum has gone beyond the press briefing and has also submitted a formal letter to the Honourable Minister of Finance, requesting urgent action to release funds to the Ministry of Education. These funds will then be used to make the necessary payments to the affected scholars.

The extended non-payment of scholarship stipends is not unrelated to the cash crunch plaguing the Federal Government, which has been conveniently overlooked in official quarters amidst the lean budget allocated to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the government.

News

Electricity Workers Threatens Shutdown Over Staff Brutality

Published

8 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has threatened a nationwide shutdown following an alleged attack on staff of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Imo State.

In a statement issued by its Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, the union said the action became necessary after workers on duty at the Egbu 132/33kV Transmission Substation were allegedly beaten, held hostage at gunpoint, and some abducted by armed police officers said to be acting on the orders of the state government.

According to the union, the police officers forcefully entered the control rooms, vandalised equipment and disrupted operations. Workers were reportedly held at gunpoint, assaulted, and taken to an undisclosed location.

The union said it has already directed its members to halt power supply operations in Imo State until further notice.

It further warned that it would withdraw services nationwide unless authorities took immediate action to guarantee the safety and protection of electricity workers across the country.

The statement read: “NUEE expresses deep shock and outrage over the level of gangsterism and unprofessional conduct displayed today by police officers acting on behalf of Imo State government.

“These officers forcibly invaded and vandalised the control rooms at Egbu 132/33KV Transmission Substation in an attempt to compel operators to grant an illegal outage.

“During the invasion, the officers allegedly disconnected power at gunpoint and held all staff on duty hostage, forcing them to open breakers under duress.

“They further unleashed violence on our members, beating, molesting and assaulting every staff member in sight. Personal belongings, including phones, laptops, and vehicles, were destroyed, while CCTV cameras were also vandalised.

“The police officers executed this brutal and barbaric assault on innocent workers and abducted them to an undisclosed location.

“NUEE strongly condemns this reprehensible act and demands the immediate release of our abducted members. We also call for a formal undertaking from TCN management, the Federal Ministry of Power, and the Inspector General of Police to ensure the protection of our members.

“Additionally, we demand the immediate replacement of all staff property damaged or taken away, and insist that all assaulted workers be provided with full medical attention.

“Consequently, NUEE directs all members to stay away from the office until further notice, as we cannot continue to work under conditions of brutality, intimidation, and threats to life. Work can only resume when the safety of staff and property is fully guaranteed.

“Failure to address these issues promptly will leave the union with no alternative but to withdraw our services nationwide until adequate safety and protection are secured at all workplaces.”

News

Lecturers Threaten Fresh Showdown Over FG’s Unfulfilled Agreements

Published

8 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

University lecturers have cautioned that a fresh confrontation with the Federal Government may be unavoidable, citing unfulfilled agreements and what they described as a continued lack of genuine commitment during negotiations.

The Abuja Zonal Coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Adam Al-Amin Abdullahi, stated this while speaking with the press in Abuja on Monday.

Abdullahi, who was represented by the Chairman of ASUU at Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja), Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, said the union was compelled to brief Nigerians because the issues at the heart of our struggle remain far from resolved.”

He recalled that ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) had considered the government’s proposals on 21 October 2025 and accepted them in good faith, despite their being extremely inadequate.

According to him, the decision to suspend the two-week strike on 22 October was taken out of respect for our students, parents, the media, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and other well-meaning Nigerians.

“Nearly four weeks later, it is obvious that the Federal Government has not used the goodwill period effectively. The measures taken so far are inadequate and nowhere near addressing the fundamental issues. There is simply no sense of urgency.

“We believe that the best way to revitalise public universities is through sincere negotiation rather than propaganda. However, when agreements are broken, payments are withheld, or deception is employed in place of interaction, the Union has a moral and constitutional obligation to defend public education and safeguard its members.

“ASUU will not think twice about using every lawful tool at its disposal if the government continues to trivialise challenges that undermine the existence of public universities. In conclusion, we implore all Nigerians to persuade the government to take the necessary steps right away in order to prevent another preventable industrial crisis.

“The future of Nigeria’s public universities, as well as the future of our students, cannot be sacrificed on the altar of insincerity. indifference, and political grandstanding,” he said.

A key area of contention, he stated, remains the issue of salaries and working conditions.

Ugoh noted that the government’s proposed adjustments were merely tokenistic, insisting they were insufficient to halt the ongoing exodus of academics. “These proposals cannot restore honour to the profession, nor can they keep our best minds in the system,” he said.

He acknowledged some recent actions by the government, including the release of certain third-party deductions and partial payment of long-outstanding promotion arrears. Still, he dismissed them as confidence-building measures rather than concrete steps toward resolving the core issues.

According to him, government officials continue to exaggerate these minor moves as major achievements, adding that financial data shows both federal and state revenues have grown significantly in recent years, contradicting claims of limited resources.

The union maintained that several critical matters remain unresolved, including full renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, the release of withheld salaries for three and a half months, and the payment of outstanding wage awards and unremitted deductions.

“It is unfortunate that the Honourable Minister of Education has repeatedly made untrue public claims suggesting these issues have been resolved. Only a small fraction of what is owed has been released.”

“The combination of unpaid awards, withheld salaries, and chronic underfunding is crippling the university system. Students are suffering through prolonged calendars and disrupted learning. Lecturers are demoralised, and the quality of teaching and research is sinking.”

The Abuja Zone appealed to parents, students, civil society organisations, the National Assembly, and traditional rulers to demand transparency and accountability in the management of education resources. “Nigerians must reject false information and insist on verifiable evidence. This struggle is about the survival of public universities.”

While emphasising the union’s preference for dialogue, Ugoh cautioned that ASUU would not hesitate to act if necessary, urging Nigerians to pressure the government to act swiftly to avoid another avoidable crisis. “The future of our students and the stability of our universities cannot be sacrificed on the altar of insincerity and political grandstanding.”