President Bola Tinubu has approved the waiver for the “No Work, No Pay” order imposed on the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in accordance with the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy.
This decision, as detailed in a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, comes after these unions engaged in strikes.
The NARD had initiated industrial action on July 26, resulting in the “No Work, No Pay” order.
However, following consultations with the Federal Government, the NARD called off their strike on August 12.
Subsequently, the Federal Government directed the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to withhold salaries accrued during the strike.
“In view of the faithful implementation of terms which were agreed upon during the fruitful deliberations between the Resident Doctors and the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has directed the grant of an exceptional last waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order on Resident Doctors.
“(This) will allow for the members of the NARD to receive the salaries which were previously withheld during the 17-day strike action,” the statement said.
The waiver, according to the statement, is granted with the condition that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding (DoU).
The DoU will establish that this extraordinary waiver is the final one to be granted to the NARD and all other Health Sector Unions.
Similarly, President Tinubu has approved a partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” order for members of ASUU.
This comes after their eight-month strike, which began on February 14, 2022, and ended on October 17, 2022.
The President has ordered the release of four months’ worth of withheld salaries out of the eight months affected by the strike.
Again, the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment are tasked with securing a Document of Understanding (DoU) from ASUU, which will specify that this unique waiver granted by the President will be the last for ASUU and all other Education Sector Unions.