The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has urged the National Association of Resident Doctors to obey the court order asking them to resume work.

He aid this when he appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, on Sunday.

The minister explained that the doctors can continue negotiation after their negotiation.

He also reacted to allegations that he was not passionate about the profession, saying he has family members practising as doctors.

Ngige said, “I want to appeal to NARD for them to reconsider their position, get back to work tomorrow or next and then come back again for discussions. We have so many things to discuss,” Ngige said.

“I have nephews who are resident doctors. I have three of them at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, UNTH Enugu, Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu. I have so many of them. I have a son who will graduate in Medicine in October. I cannot destroy the profession, I have to protect the profession too.

“The court has ruled and said ‘Go and do some more settlement but meanwhile, you go back to work and continue the settlement’.”

This is as the National Association of Resident Doctors had directed its lawyers to appeal a ruling ordering its members to return to work.

This was contained in a statement jointly signed by NARD President, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, and the union’s Secretary-General, Dr Jerry Isogun, on Friday

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The doctors said they have begun the process to appeal the ruling.

“As we are all aware, especially those that were present in court today (Friday), the NIC has given a ruling on the application for interlocutory injunction filed by the Federal Government,” the statement said. We are not satisfied with the ruling.

“After consultations with our lawyers, we have instructed our lawyers to appeal the ruling and file an application for stay of execution,” it read in part.

UGAMATV had reported that the National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja on Friday restrained the resident Doctors are from continuing with the ongoing strike pending the determination of the substantive suit before it.

The court, therefore, ordered members of the association nationwide to return to work.

Justice Bashar Alkali made the order while ruling on an application by the Federal Government in the suit against NARD.