ACN Pleads With Striking Doctors

The Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria has, once again, appealed  to striking Lagos doctors to return to duty and allow the state government to  address their demands. The party said that the persisting strike is leaving room for  hardening of positions, which is proving detrimental to both parties as the strike  lingers.

In a release in Lagos, signed by the party’s Lagos State Publicity Secretary, Joe  Igbokwe, Lagos ACN said that with political meanings now being read into the strike,  the striking doctors must realise that they are in service for the people and call  off the strike in the interest of the people.

It assures the workers that the present administration in the state is  people-friendly and will always pander to the interests of the generality of  Lagosians.

According to ACN, “we are getting worried that our persistent pleas to the striking  doctors and those of other well meaning Nigerians and indeed the Lagos State  government have gone unheeded by the doctors. We are more surprised that the  government has offered to deal with the problems the doctors went on strike for but  the doctors have remained persistent while the lives of Lagosians have been  compromised in the striking period.” We are also aware that many Lagosians are now  reading political meanings to the lingering strike, which is an area Lagos ACN would  not be interested in as the government has been enjoying a cordial relationship with  the Lagos doctors.

“What, however, surprises us is that the striking doctors have remained unbending  and are not yielding to the plea that they adopt less rigid means of going about  their interest. We are shocked that the doctors have not even shifted grounds a bit,  even as the government has expressed readiness to tackle their demands when they  resume work. We are not happy that the striking doctors have carried on as if the  lives of Lagosians are secondary to their interests and have remained intransigent  to the persistent appeals of Lagosians.”

The party further stated: “Lagos ACN notes that the state government has referred  the striking doctors to the Lagos State Committee for the Development of Pay Policy,  Review and Salary Determination in the state public service but the doctors refused  to negotiate with the committee, insisting that the governor must approve a wage  increase for them when that detracts from the established norms of the state civil  service.

“Once again, we call on the striking Lagos doctors to return to work and allow  meaningful negotiation under a favorable atmosphere of peace and harmony. We believe  they would be doing their profession a great favour and will eventually succeed with  their demand while reducing the aftermaths of the lingering strike. We urge for the  return of reason, as this will pay all parties in the present impasse.”

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