The Nigerian Medical Association and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors have blamed the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, for the prolonged strike by resident doctors.

The NMA’s General Secretary, Philips Ekpe; and the Vice President of NARD, Arome Adejo, made the position of their groups known in separate interviews in Abuja.

The NARD had on August 2 begun a nationwide strike over the alleged failure of the Federal Government to pay doctors on residency training and integrate members of the association into the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System.

Ngige, in an interview with State House correspondents, claimed that the Federal Government did not owe any doctors, but the illegally employed ones.