Follow Us on Google
The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, has begun a three-day warning strike over non-payment of shortfalls in their salaries.
The decision of the doctors to embark on the warning strike was agreed upon at its emergency congress held, yesterday.
Payment of salary shortfall by the Federal Government to resident doctors in the country started in 2014, but the strike is based on non-payment of the doctors’ December 2019 shortfall arrears.
President of the association, Dr. Adejo Arome, while addressing the congress, said the strike became necessary because money meant for payment of the salary shortfall had been paid into the hospital account in December 2019 but was not disbursed.
“Though the acting Medical Director of the hospital was willing to pay the arrears, he was advised otherwise by Mr. Bako Achi, one of the hospital’s heads of account department,” he said.
Arome said N20 million was released by the government to pay the resident doctors the December salary shortfall arrears, but lamented that the money had not been paid.
He noted that the doctors had resolved that until concrete evidence was given to them, the strike would go on.
“The acting MD placed a call to the Accountant in my presence in respect of the N20 million released, but he failed to pick his call.”
He explained that nothing tangible had been done to prevent the strike, “except the document signed by the hospital managing director directing the Accountant to pay the December shortfalls. We would only back down on the strike if we receive alert as evidence of payment for the salary shortfall arrears.”
In a unanimous vote, resident doctors called for the removal of Mr. Bako Achi, the hospital’s accountant for insubordination and non-release of the salary arrears.”
They said that Achi had become a clog in the wheel of their progress and must be removed.
