Wednesday, January 22, 2025 -The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration, ARD FCTA, has commenced a three-day warning strike over unpaid salaries, allowances, and other demands.
The strike
has grounded activities in government hospitals in Wuse, Asokoro, Maitama,
Kubwa, Zuba, and Kwali, among others.
The
President of ARD FCTA, Dr George Ebong, who disclosed this in a press briefing
in Abuja on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, said the strike came after a
three-week ultimatum issued last year by the doctors had elapsed.
Speaking
on behalf of ARD, Ebong decried the neglect of hospitals and doctors’ welfare
in the nation’s capital.
He called
on the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to intervene to avoid an indefinite
shutdown of hospitals.
According
to him, the decision to embark on the three-day warning strike is a fallout
from a Congress held by its members on Tuesday.
“The
three-day strike is being implemented across all government hospitals in
Abuja—from Wuse to Asokoro, Maitama, Kubwa, Zuba, Kwali, Abaji, Nyanya and all
other hospitals in Abuja," he stated.
"We
gave the government a three-week ultimatum to meet our demands, and after that,
we met with them and dialogued on several occasions. They pleaded for two
weeks, but after that elapsed, nothing has been done. Not even the minimum
thing. We expected them to pay for the six months of unpaid arrears to doctors.
"Honestly,
doctors have been abandoned projects. Just as the roads are being constructed,
the welfare of doctors should be considered by the minister.”
“After
this three-day strike, we will do an appraisal. If nothing is done, we will go
on an indefinite strike.
“We want
the Minister of FCT to solve this problem to avert an indefinite shutdown of
the hospitals in Abuja.”
Recall
that the ARD FCTA issued a 14-day ultimatum strike warning to the FCT minister
on December 23, 2025, warning of an impending shutdown over failure to meet its
demands.
The
ultimatum elapsed on January 6, 2025.
Some of
the demands of the doctors include, " For the minister to clear the
Medical Residency Training Fund of 2024. Implementation of skipping and
issuance of skipping letters to its members employed in 2023. Immediate payment
of accoutrements allowance for 2024 and payment of outgoing 13 months' hazard
allowance arrears, among other demands.
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