The National Industrial Court in Abuja, Monday, rejected an application by the federal government to order striking members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to resume work.
The judge, John Targema, rather ordered the two parties locked in the industrial dispute –members of NARD and the federal government – “to suspend all forms of hostilities and maintain status quo.”
The strike, which started on August 2, clocked exactly three weeks on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the judge’s Monday’s ruling was on an ex parte application jointly filed by the federal government and the Federal Ministry of Health.
It was the second time the judge would be refusing to order the resident doctors to resume work, his Monday’s ruling coming about four days after rejecting a similar call by a civil society organisation, Rights for All International, last Thursday.
”Having looked especially on the affidavit of extreme urgency, the grounds of the application, the affidavit in support of same and arguments of counsel for the applicant.
“I also weighed the submissions and arguments of counsel on the law as it stands on this application.
“It is hereby ordered that claimant/applicant and the defendant/respondent suspend all forms of hostilities forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” the judge said on Monday.”
Targema in the ruling said granting the group’s application would amount to violating the resident doctors’ right to fair hearing.
The government’s application, being an ex parte motion like that of the CSO’s, was similarly heard by the judge in the absence of NARD on Monday.
The judge after declining to grant the specific orders sought by the government, ordered that hearing notice be issued to the defendant, along with other processes which included the originating summons.
He ordered that the proof of service be kept in the case file before the next adjourned date.
Targema then adjourned the matter till September 15 for hearing of the motion on notice “and/or any other pending application on its merit.”
(NAN)
