By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—The indefinite industrial action called by three major unions in the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, FMC, which entered the ninth day today, took a dramatic twist, yesterday, as members of  Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, commenced seven days warning strike.

Confirming the situation in an exclusive interview with Vanguard in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Conference Room of the FMC, the association’s chairman, Dr. Duke Onyeabo, said they had a number of nagging labour issues with the hospital management.

“Yes, it is true that resident doctors in FMC have commenced seven days warning strike with effect from today (yesterday)

‘’There are a number of labour issues management must clear within this period, if it likes,” Dr. Onyeabo said.

On what would happen if the hospital management failed to treat the issues before the expiration of the seven days, Onyeabo said: “You can see that we are meeting now. A definite position would be taken at this meeting and it would be communicated to  you (Vanguard) by tomorrow (today)”

Meanwhile, members of National Union of Allied Health Practitioners, NUAHP, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwifes, NANNM, and Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, yesterday, staged another peaceful protest in Owerri.