Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticised the Federal Government over the lingering issue of unpaid allowances owed to resident doctors, describing the situation as a betrayal of trust and a threat to Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare system.
In a statement posted on his X account on Sunday, Atiku threw his weight behind the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) ahead of its planned nationwide engagement set to commence on Tuesday, April 7.
He faulted the government for allegedly failing to honour the previously agreed Professional Allowance Table framework, stressing that the move undermines confidence and good governance.
According to him, resident doctors should not be made to plead for entitlements that had already been formally agreed upon.
“The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors should not have to beg for what has already been agreed upon. The Federal Government signed a deal on the Professional Allowance Table, and now it wants to abandon it. This is not governance; it is betrayal,” he said.
Atiku further expressed concern over the difficult conditions under which resident doctors operate, noting that they remain a critical pillar in sustaining hospitals across the country despite mounting challenges.
He said the doctors continue to work long and exhausting hours in extremely difficult environments, yet receive remuneration that does not reflect the value of their sacrifices.
“Our resident doctors are the last line of defence in hospitals that are already collapsing. They work gruelling hours, in impossible conditions, for pay that insults their sacrifice,” he added.
The former vice-president also linked the government’s handling of doctors’ welfare to the growing wave of medical professionals leaving Nigeria for better opportunities abroad.
He argued that the continued migration of doctors to countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Saudi Arabia reflects leadership failure rather than a lack of patriotism on the part of the professionals.
“Every doctor Nigeria loses to the UK, Canada, or Saudi Arabia is a failure of leadership, not a failure of patriotism,” Atiku stated.
He urged the Federal Government to urgently address the issue in order to prevent a further breakdown in the nation’s health sector.
“I stand with NARD. Pay what you owe. Honour what you signed. Or explain to 200 million Nigerians why their hospitals will go dark,” he said.
Atiku Condemns FG Over Unpaid Doctors’ Allowances, Calls It ‘Betrayal’
