The Nigerian Medical Association has denied media reports that some sacked doctors had started lobbying
the Lagos State government to be reinstated.
A statement by the association in
Lagos on Monday said the media report was not only false but a product of the
imagination of the reporters.
The association condemned the report
and described it as an attempt to cause a division between its National
President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, and the leadership of the Medical Guild.
The publication had reported that
some of the sacked doctors were lobbying the state government to be reinstated
and also alleged that the NMA President was against the strike embarked upon by
the Medical Guild.
The NMA stated, “We describe the
story as scurrilous, an outright falsehood and a desperate attempt to blackmail
the President and the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association, as well
as distract the NMA leadership from her commitment to a just and quick
resolution of the conflict between its members and the Lagos State government.”
The story which was published in the
Monday edition of the newspaper said an anonymous source had said that the
President of the NMA, was unhappy with the position of the Medical Guild on the
Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, but was afraid that if he failed to
dance to the tune of the doctors, he might be impeached.
“To say that Enabulele, who was
overwhelmingly elected only 17days ago would be bothered about impeachment over
his courageous and progressive handling of the Lagos quagmire is ridiculous and
ludicrous,” the NMA said, pointing out that the NMA leader had an unblemished
track record as a progressive crusader for social justice.
“Nigerians and indeed the whole world
are very much aware that for over a week, the NMA President and the national
leadership of the NMA have consistently made efforts to resolve the labour
crisis in Lagos State, despite the hard line anti-labour posture of the Lagos
State government,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday
urged the National Industrial Court to refuse to entertain the suit filed by 788
doctors sacked by the state.
The doctors had filed the suit prior
to their sacking to pre-empt the government from taking any disciplinary action
against them for embarking on a three-day warning strike in March 2012.
Their counsel, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, on
May 16, 2012, filed another application, seeking the court to reverse the
sacking.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner
of the state, Mr. Ade Ipaye, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria told Justice Benedict
Kanyip to strike out the suit.
However, the judge said, “This court
came to existence to avoid the technicalities obtained in the conventional
courts. What is the point in declining jurisdiction and striking out the case
by mere looking at the suit on the surface, when we know there is no other
court that has jurisdiction to hear the matter.”
Ipaye insisted the suit was
incompetent on the basis that it was instituted on behalf of the doctors’
association – the Lagos State Medical Guild – not recognised by law.
Aturu, however, argued that the
association could sue in a representative capacity.
Kanyip, who affirmed his promise to
give the case an accelerated hearing, adjourned till May 24 to deliver ruling
on government’s application.