From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Resident doctors under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have announced a three-day warning strike to protest the non-payment of April 2025 salaries to 127 health workers, including doctors.
The strike follows an emergency general meeting of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD-FCTA) held on Monday at Asokoro District Hospital in Abuja, both in-person and virtually.
In a communique signed by ARD President Dr George Ebong and General Secretary Dr Agbor Affiong, the doctors condemned the “arbitrary and unjust” withholding of salaries, allegedly without prior notice or due diligence. They accused the FCT Civil Service Commission of wrongly labelling affected staff as absentees and removing them from the payment platform, despite their ongoing service in FCT health facilities.
“This is a disgraceful decision that has caused untold emotional, physical, psychological, and financial hardship. Over 100 dedicated staff have been denied their rightful earnings at a time when the welfare and remuneration of health workers is already depleted,” the communique stated.
The association criticised the exclusion of key stakeholders, such as hospital Medical Directors, the Director General of the Hospital Management Board, and the Permanent Secretary of Health, from the decision-making process. It also denounced the Civil Service Commission’s officials for their “blatant arrogance, rudeness, and disdain” towards staff seeking clarification.
Consequently, ARD-FCTA declared a warning strike from 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6, to 8:00 a.m. on Friday, May 9, 2025. The doctors demand immediate payment of the withheld April salaries, reinstatement of affected workers on the payroll, and a written apology from the Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission.
Additionally, they called for the Chairman’s resignation, a public statement from the Hospital Management Board confirming the employment status of affected staff, and a peaceful protest march to the FCTA to highlight their grievances. The association warned that failure to resolve these issues by Friday would prompt a meeting to consider an indefinite strike.
Despite their concerns, the doctors thanked FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for infrastructural improvements and for approving the recruitment of 315 healthcare workers. However, they urged swift implementation of this approval and called for his intervention to avert further disruption to FCT healthcare services.
The communique was sent to key officials, including the Minister of State for the FCT, the Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).