SACKED DOCTORS: LAGOS GOVT, NMA TALKS DEADLOCKED
The Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Osahon Enabulele has said the meeting with the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola and other officials of the NMA was deadlocked, as the governor rejected entreaties to recall the sacked doctors. According to him, the governor left the meeting midway during the talks, saying he had an urgent meeting to attend.
He said: 'Governor, Fashola has rejected our moves to reverse the sack of the doctors. All efforts by NMA to make him see reasons why the sack cannot stand and why both parties should shift grounds were rejected.
'As the number one citizen of the state, we expected that he would listen. He said the matter was beyond him, as a decision had been taken and he cannot shift their positions. He left midway, saying he had made the state government's position known to the doctors. We have met him twice and on both occasions he has rejected our position.
The NMA is going to constitute a meeting tomorrow to explore other options available to us.
Also, the Chairman of the Medical Guild, Dr. Olumuyiwa Odusote who was also in attendance at the meeting said the Guild had already filed a suit against the state government over the mass dismissal of its members at the Industrial Court and the public hearing of the case would be coming up Today
He said that instead of negotiating with the leadership of the NMA, Fashola had referred the sacked doctors to the Health Service Commission.
' The case is in court already and our hearing comes up today. So let the law adjudge who is wrong or right.'
He, however, said that Fashola agreed to reverse the eviction order given to sacked doctors to vacate their official quarters in the state tomorrow.
Odusote said: 'He said the reversal of the eviction order was within his powers and he would look into it but action stays on the sack.'
Odusote also hinted that with the present development, federal doctors in the state are considering embarking on solidarity strike.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Resident Doctor of Nigeria (NARD) has condemned in its entirety the posture of the Lagos state government in the ongoing industrial disharmony between her and the Medical guild.
In a statement, signed by Dr Lanre Ekujumi, the resident doctors said it is a shame that the Lagos State Government have failed to keep to the terms of agreement reached with the Medical Guild concerning the full implementation of CONMESS.
'The demand for full implementation of CONMESS is legitimate and has the backing of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria. The ugly trend of hounding, intimidating and victimization of doctors by the state government will not be tolerated. The earlier the Lagos State Government retraces its step the better.'
for the peace loving and downtrodden citizens of Lagos and Nigeria at large.
' The Lagos state government should be aware that if it goes ahead with its planned dismissal of doctors in the state, NARD will not hesitate to call out all her members nationwide in solidarity with our colleagues in that state.
'We will like to appeal to the Lagos State Government officials to put the interest of the masses ahead of ego and personal vendetta and stop fanning the embers of war.
We also appeal to all well meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Lagos State Government to honour all agreements reached with the Medical Guild. This is the time for Gov. Raji Fashola to uphold his integrity and keep to the agreement reached with them,' he said.