President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to address the
nation with a broadcast at 7
pm on Monday, July 31, 2023, as announced by Dele
Alake, the presidential spokesman, in a statement earlier that morning.
All television, radio stations, and other electronic media
outlets are urged to connect to the network services of the Nigerian Television
Authority and Radio Nigeria for the broadcast, although the content of the
address remains undisclosed at this time.
The nation currently faces widespread hardship due to the
removal of fuel subsidy, leading to a surge in petrol prices. The President has
been reassuring the public, urging for calm, and emphasizing that the
government is diligently working to ensure the welfare of Nigerians.
President Tinubu has likened the current situation to labor
room pain, implying that better times are on the horizon.
The President’s speech is scheduled on the eve of nationwide protests
organized by labor unions and amidst the ongoing strike by the Nigerian
Association of Resident Doctors (NARD). The doctors’ union has rejected the
recent 25% increment in basic salary announced by the federal government,
demanding the full restoration of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to
its 2009 value.
In their communique after the National Executive Council
(NEC) meeting in Lagos, the NARD expressed their vehement opposition to the
meager salary increment and called for immediate action to address their
demands. They also demanded the release of the circular on the One-for-One
policy for the replacement of exited clinical workers, emphasizing the urgency
of resolving the issues to prevent further depletion of clinical staff and a strain
on healthcare services. Until substantial progress is made in addressing their
concerns, the NARD vowed to continue their nationwide total and indefinite
strike action.
