A bill currently being considered by the National Assembly that would limit the movement of Nigerian doctors to countries with what they perceive to be greener pastures was deemed “unworkable” by the Federal Government on Monday.
Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, made this announcement while fielding questions from reporters following the extraordinary Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja, which was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Ngige said the bill violates current labor laws in response to resident doctors’ threat to go on a five-day warning strike over perceived attempts to bar medical and dental graduates from practicing anywhere for five years.
The move, according to reports, will stop the mass exodus of medical professionals from the country, said the bill’s sponsor, Ganiyu Johnson, a member of the House of Representatives from Lagos State.
The bill’s full title is “A Bill for an Act to amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap. M379, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to mandate that any Nigeria-trained medical or dental practitioner practice in Nigeria for a minimum of five years before being granted a full license by the Council to provide Nigeria with high-quality healthcare services; and for related matters.”
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors responded to the development by announcing plans for a five-day warning strike and pledging to fight any attempt to “enslave” Nigerian doctors.
In addition, they demanded the immediate implementation of CONMESS, the domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act, a 200% increase in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, as well as a review of the hazard allowance by all state governments and private tertiary health institutions where any form of residency training is conducted.
“Nobody can say they (doctors) will not get a practising license until after five years,” Ngige countered. It will be against the laws of the land, which have established the development of medical practice.
“The National Assembly’s bill cannot prevent anyone from obtaining a full license. A private member’s bill is that one. They deal with executive and private member bills in the National Assembly.
The government submits executive bills to the National Assembly bearing the executive’s signature.
“It is either sent by the President or the Attorney-General of the Federation, but usually it comes from the former. Therefore, it is a private member’s bill and not an executive bill.
“That document is not, in my opinion, workable. I don’t support it from the beginning and I never will.
“Like I said before, it’s like sledgehammering a fly. If they are attempting to stop brain drain, they should consider alternative methods.
Since the government was already communicating with the Nigerian Medical Association, the umbrella organization of NARD, the Minister claimed that the five-day strike was not necessary.
“On the demand for a 200 percent pay increase, the NMA, the parent organization of all doctors in Nigeria, has about four or five affiliates, including the association of resident doctors.
“NMA is currently in discussions with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Salaries Income and Wages Commission, and the Ministry of Labour, and as far as we know, NMA has agreed to a salary increase for their members that ranges from 25% to 30% overall.
“I don’t understand the reasoning behind why NMA members are now approaching me and demanding a 200% pay raise.
“I can’t figure it out. Since the government negotiates remuneration with NMA, I have called the NMA President to get in touch with them. I have instructed the NMA President to get in touch with them so that we can engage them. It’s unnecessary for them to strike, so they shouldn’t,” he said.
Ngige also stated that the Employee Compensation Act of 2010’s universal implementation was approved by the Council in response to a memo put forth by his ministry.
He noted that the law will replace the previous Employee Compensation Act, also known as Workmen Compensation, and explained that it is administered by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.
According to Ngige, the Council authorized the ECA for widespread application, which means that in addition to the private sector, which is already complying, the public sector, or the government, including the federal, state, and local governments, must now do the same for the protection of their workforces.
According to the Act, a worker who is hurt, has an accident, contracts a disease, becomes disabled, or dies while working should be compensated, remunerated, and even the family should receive payment when the man is no longer alive.
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“It did not provide for the education of some of the children up to the age of 21.
The decent work agenda, which is outlined in Convention 102 of the ILO, has a major branch on what they refer to as workers’ protection in the course of work, so today is a good day for Nigerian workers.
