The Federal Government and the striking Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors have both agreed to go back to the negotiating table in an effort to end the ongoing strike.
The Association took the position at the resumed proceedings in the suit the Federal Government filed against them at the National Industrial Court in Abuja.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the striking resident doctors, Femi Falana (SAN), told the court that he had an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case.
The counsel to the Federal Government, Tochukwu Maduka (SAN), however, pointed out that the issue of contempt of the court, by the resident doctors, should be heard first, before that of the jurisdiction.
He added that there was an order by the court that the resident doctors and the Federal Government should suspend all hostilities and maintain the status quo, but the doctors did not obey the court order.
According to him, the strike action, embarked upon on the 2nd of August by the resident doctors has wreaked untold suffering on the citizenry, amounting to numerous deaths of persons.
After listening to the submission of both parties, Justice Bashar Alkali fixed September 17 to rule on the application of jurisdiction and contempt of court.
