Why Abia doctors suspended strike, by NMA

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Abia State branch has said the union’s decision to suspend its six months strike was due to the intervention by the state’s Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, who had promised to offset all salaries owed them by December 31, 2023.

Addressing a press conference, NMA Chairman, Abia State branch, Dr. Isaiah Abali, said the decision to suspend the strike on June 8, was taken at an emergency general meeting by the branch.

He said the state’s Special Adviser on Health in a meeting with Abia NMA executives, also restated the governor’s promises, which made them take the decision.

He said the strike was embarked on Dec 9, 2022, on 23 months arrears owed doctors working in Abia State Teaching Hospital, 16 months owed State Hospitals Management Board and two months owed Ministry of Health workers.

Abali, who read out a two-page communiqué, lamented that the Ikpeazu administration “did not make any reasonable and acceptable commitment to the course of paying the salaries”.

He said Abia NMA has directed doctors in private, state and federal employees in the state to resume work to enable the new administration to work and offset lingering salaries arrears.

“With this olive branch extended to the government, we expect that the government would expedite action on the payment of the salaries as promised to avert the ugly trends of the past,” he added.