The Federal Government has insisted that no doctor or health worker is being owed salary.

Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, said the Federal Government pays the salaries of doctors and health workers when due.

He stated this during a meeting of the presidential committee on salaries with the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) in Abuja on Tuesday.

The minister said the explanation became necessary to address the members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

NARD members are currently on strike over alleged salary irregularities.

However, Ngige said: “NARD goes about telling Nigerians that the government is owing to their salaries, and as well not taking the problems in the health sector seriously. But this is not true. It is incorrect

“No doctor, nurse, pharmacist or any other health worker, including the driver, is owed a monthly salary. The government pays as and when due.

“The truth is that NARD fails to tell Nigerians that their colleagues who are owed salaries are the ones illegally recruited. Therefore, they were neither captured by the office of the head of the service of the federation nor were their payments provided for by the budget office of the federation.

“Monthly salaries are done as and when due for those legitimately employed by the federal government, but not to those illegally employed or need their appointments regularised and captured in the finances of government for payment.”