Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has appealed to striking resident doctors to resume work.
He made this appeal while speaking on Sunday during an interview on Channels Television.
Ngige stated that the resident doctors should come for discussions after they return to work.
Recall that on Friday, the National Industrial Court, in a ruling by Bashir Alkali, had asked the resident doctors to return to work.
However, the resident doctors faulted the ruling of the court and vowed to continue the strike.
Also Read: Court Orders Resident Doctors To Suspend Industrial Action
Reacting to this development, Ngige described the decision of the resident doctors to continue the strike despite the court order as “contemptuous”.
The labour minister said he is determined to protect the profession from being “vandalised”.
“I want to appeal to NARD for them to reconsider their position, get back to work tomorrow or next and then come back again for discussions. We have so many things to discuss,” the minister said.
“I have nephews who are resident doctors. I have three of them in the east — at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching hospital, UNTH Enugu, Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu. I have so many of them.
“I have my son — a house officer. I have my daughter who is joining housemanship in October. I have a son, God willing, who is going to graduate again in October. I cannot destroy the profession but I have to protect the profession too if it is going to be vandalised.”