William Attah, Gombe
Association of Resident Doctors in Gombe State who downed their tools last week Monday following poor working conditions have called off the strike action.
According to the State Chapter President, Dr. Saidu AB Alhassan, the strike was called off in the interest of the people of the State and also in consideration of the ravaging covid-19 (corona virus) pandemic that is ravaging many parts of the world.
Addressing a press Conference Sunday afternoon, Dr. Alhassan said it took the intervention of some respected stakeholders, who included some elders of the profession as well as a commitment shown by some key Government officials over the plight of the Doctors, for them to decide to call off the strike.
He said a meeting with the State Deputy Governor, Manaseh Daniel Jatau, the Speaker of the State Assembly, Honourable Ibrahim Abubakar Sadiq, as well as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Head of the State Civil Service and some commissioners also showed a commitment by the Government to address their demands.
He stated however that, his members would not hesitate to return to the strike action if any of it’s members were victimized in anyway for participating in the industrial action.
He said, the Association felt bad because of the negative effects of the strike but that they couldn’t help it due to the poor working conditions they are under and the risk they take as the first persons to be in the field during a pandemic such as the Covid-19.
Asked if they have set any time line within which they could take another action if their demands are not met, Dr. Hassan said, the strike was called off indefinitely, as such, they will continue to dialogue with Government since all stakeholders unanimously agreed that all their demands were genuine and needed to be met.
“One of the steps already taken by Government which had convinced us that there is commitment on their part is that the Government had already shortlisted the names of members of the Civil Service Board which is one of the requisite requirements for the constitution of the board that will look into our promotions”, Dr. Alhassan stated.
