- only about ₦500 million of the total amount is actually allocated to resident doctors
- The claim of ₦11.9 billion is inaccurate
- Suleiman further criticized the ministry for a lack of transparency in its claim
The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, has disputed the Federal Government’s announcement that it plans to release ₦11.9 billion within 72 hours for the payment of outstanding allowances and arrears to medical personnel nationwide.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in an exclusive conversation with The Punch, Suleiman clarified that only about ₦500 million of the total amount is actually allocated to resident doctors, dismissing the government’s figures as misleading.
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The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had earlier announced the disbursement of ₦11.9 billion to cover arrears such as accoutrement allowances and other entitlements, describing it as part of efforts to restore stability to the health sector amid the ongoing doctors’ strike.
However, Suleiman countered that the government’s statement exaggerated the figures and misrepresented the scope of the payments. According to him, the arrears — which include the 25–35% salary review and accoutrement allowance are over two years old and apply to all health workers, not just doctors.
“The claim of ₦11.9 billion is inaccurate. What was actually agreed upon was ₦6 billion, not ₦11.9 billion,” he said. “Out of that, ₦2.9 billion is meant for the accoutrement allowance of all doctors, and only about ₦500 million of that amount goes to resident doctors.
Another ₦2.4 billion is set aside for consultants’ non-clinical duty allowances, while ₦400 million covers COVID-19 arrears for other health workers.”
Suleiman emphasized that these payments are not new incentives but long-overdue entitlements, accusing the health ministry of trying to create a false impression that all demands from resident doctors had been addressed.
“Only a small portion of what’s being released affects resident doctors directly. The ministry’s announcement gives a misleading sense of resolution,” he said.
The NARD president also condemned the dismissal of five doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, stating that the association was neither consulted nor informed about the review process being handled by a government-appointed negotiator, Prof. Dafe Otobo.
“We don’t know the person or the terms of reference. Those doctors were sacked for union-related reasons, and we’ve only asked that they be reinstated, not taken to court,” he explained.
Suleiman further criticized the ministry for a lack of transparency in its claim that 35,000 health workers had been recruited over the past two years, demanding a breakdown of the figures.
He insisted that NARD’s strike goes beyond financial grievances, noting that 19 other issues remain unresolved, many of which require only administrative action.
“The ministry’s tone makes doctors appear ungrateful or money-driven. That’s not true — our concerns extend beyond pay. We want fairness, proper staffing, and respect for due process,” he added.
While commending Finance Minister Wale Edun for swiftly responding to financial concerns, Suleiman urged President Bola Tinubu to compel the Ministry of Health to engage sincerely with the doctors.
“We appreciate Mr Edun’s proactive steps, but the Ministry of Health needs to show real commitment. We are calling on the President to ensure the ministry takes genuine steps toward resolving these lingering issues,” he appealed.
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