The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) may soon embark on a nationwide industrial action to protest the removal of subsidies on fuel.
In this regard, it has instructed its members across the nation to be on standby for directives on the next line of action over the federal government policy.
This was contained in a press release signed by the president of the association, Dr Omede Idris and made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday in Abuja.
In the press release, the? association not only condemned the policy but also rejected what it described as? “criminal increase in the pump price of fuel in the midst of increasing unemployment, red-alert insecurity, exponential poverty, increasing Ill- health and diseases, collapsed educational systems, escalating anger and frustration in the land”.
Dr Idris said, “NMA will join the millions of Nigerians to resist this evil. State branches and affiliates of the NMA are directed to be ever ready for directives on the next line of action. Where democracy thrives, power belongs to the people, with the elected leaders listening to the yearnings of the people. This has not been so in this country where government rules with impunity.”??
According to him, government should in the first instance curb its wastes, make the refineries functional and ensure accountability with verifiable audit in petroleum sector, tackle monumental corruption in the downstream sector of oil and gas operations and other sectors of the economy.
He noted that government should also provide support for private health sector and genuinely encourage public- private partnership in health and other sectors as palliatives.
Idris stated, “as a? professional association, we cannot shy away from our professional dictates and responsibility to our clients, patients and the good citizens of this country who, in addition to inflationary multiplier effects in hike of fuel price.