Medical Trip: Why protesters must apologise to Buhari – Northern Christians

Kingsley Chukwuka

Northern Christians under the auspices of Congress of Northern Nigeria Christians (CNNC), has urged the protesters who rained insults on President Muhammadu Buhari at the Abuja house in London, to as a matter of urgency apologise to him.

CNNC described the protest as unwarranted, saying that the President has the right just like every other Nigerian to seek medical attention abroad, hence needless to rain insults on him.

The National Leader of the group, Engr Daniel Kadzai stated this at the weekend while interacting with our correspondent in Jos.

“The apology is apt as an insult to the President is an insult to the nation”, he said.

Kadzai said the allegations on Buhari during the protests suggesting that he has done nothing to improve the nation’s medical facilities were puerile and childish.

“The protest was an insult to Nigerians and showed the contempt Nigerians abroad had for the nation’s number one citizen.

“It is even their fundamental human right to protest, but why are they raining insults on the President, for God’s sake, he is the number one citizen of this country.

“I agree that the government still needs to do a lot to improve our medical facilities, but that is not to say that they have done nothing at all”, he said.

Commenting on the striking doctors, the CNNC leader however called on the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige to wake up to the challenge of negotiating better with civil servants.

Kadzai said the Minister should lobby more with civil servants and raise the bar above incessant strikes.

Recall that an indefinite strike by doctors since last Thursday has paralyzed medical services at public hospitals in Nigeria, leaving hundreds of patients stranded.

Kadzai said the government should do what is necessary so that the doctors can resume work fully.

“I advise the government to be serious with the doctors. I have monitored things for myself, it is not easy. Government should take the lives of its people very seriously”, he said.

However the Minister had earlier responded saying there is no moral justification for the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to continue its strike after the Federal Government has met substantial part of their demands.

Ngige said not only that the Federal Government met the demands of the doctors, it has also demonstrated transparency in the implementation process.

“The house officers have started receiving their payments in the Federal Government teaching hospitals and federal medical centers across the federation”, the Minister said.