- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal Government has begged members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to call off their seven-day warning strike.
Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa, made this appeal to the Resident doctors on Thursday in Kaduna during a visit to the National Eye Centre.
According to Alausa, negotiations are ongoing to ensure the safety of their kidnapped colleague, Dr Ganiyat Popoola.
He said that the Federal Government and security agencies were working hard to rescue Popoola.
“We are on top of the matter and have been on talking terms with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu ,regarding the issue.
“I have spoken with the Commissioner of Police and everyone is working hard to see that she is released.” Alausa said.
In an effort to address the situation, minister said that he had held a meeting on Monday with the leadership of NARD to convince them to call off the strike because it would worsen the situation.
” We don’t believe this warning strike will do anything. All hands are on deck to secure her release.
” For the past two days, we know she is alive and that’s good news for us as the security are working hard to bring her back alive,” he said.
Alausa added that the kidnappers kept changing their demands every moment but the security agencies were working hard to see that she was safely rescued.
“I appeal to you to call off the strike and let’s keep praying that she comes back home in peace,” the minister passionately appealed.
Recall that NARD had earlier this month protested over the abduction of their colleague, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola.
NARD had made series of efforts to facilitate release of the abducted doctor and threatened to embark on industrial action from Aug.26, if Ganiyat was not released.