The Federal Government says it will release about N11.995billion within 72 hours for the payment of outstanding arrears, includingaccoutrement allowance, to doctors and other health workers across the country. Deputy Director and Head, Information and Public Relationsof the the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Alaba Balogun, madethis disclosure in a statement on Saturday. The Ministry said that the move is part of ongoing effortsto resolve welfare concerns raised by the Nigerian Association of ResidentDoctors, NARD, and other unions and to reaffirm the Federal Government’scommitment to industrial peace and reform in the health sector. According to statement, the assurance was reiterated duringa high-level meeting led by the Minister of State for Health and SocialWelfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, between the top management of the ministry and theleadership of NARD, following the association’s recent agitations over welfareand professional concerns. This is coming after a nationwide strike that began onSaturday, involving about 11,000 resident doctors across 91 healthcarefacilities. The striking doctors are protestingunpaid arrears, delays in allowances, and other welfare-related issues despiteearlier assurances from the government. The President of the Nigerian Association of ResidentDoctors, Dr Muhammad Suleiman, had on Monday said the Federal Government owesdoctors and other health workers across the country an estimated N38 billion inaccumulated allowances. Meanwhile, the statement noted that the government remainscommitted to ensuring that the welfare, motivation, and stability of thenation’s health workforce serve as the foundation of all health policies andprogrammes. “In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance, theMinistry of Health and Social Welfare commenced the payment of seven months’arrears of the 25–35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical SalaryStructure and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure to all categories ofhealth workers, with N10bn paid in August 2025. “Following the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu forthese arrears owed to health workers, including members of NARD, to be paidexpeditiously, as of Thursday, October 30, another sum of N21.3bn has beenmoved to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System account, andpayment has commenced. “In addition, the sum of N11.995bn is being processed forrelease within 72 hours to pay other arrears, including accoutrement allowance. “All these payments are being enjoyed by members of NARD inaccordance with the salary structure in the health sector. “Additionally, the Federal Government has released N10.6bnas of September 2025 as full payment for the 2025 Medical Residency TrainingFund, paid exclusively to resident doctors nationwide,” the statement said.
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