The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has officially ended its warning strike following the intervention of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
In a statement on Friday, the association’s president, Dr. George Ebong, announced that the FCTA, under Wike’s leadership, had addressed their pressing concerns.
The strike, which had disrupted operations in FCTA-owned hospitals since Wednesday, was triggered by unpaid salary arrears and other unresolved issues.
Dr. Ebong disclosed that doctors have started receiving alerts for the payment of six months’ salary arrears.
He also confirmed that Wike had approved several key demands, including the payment of accoutrement allowances, the bonding of medical residency to two years, the immediate employment of doctors and allied health workers to address manpower shortages, and the payment of owed locum doctors and other health workers.
With these resolutions, doctors in the FCT have been directed to resume work on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
Ebong noted that the minister’s actions had averted an indefinite shutdown of hospitals in Abuja.
Expressing gratitude, Ebong stated, “On behalf of the executive members and the entire supreme congress of the Association of the Resident Doctors, FCTA, I, Dr. George Ebong, deeply appreciate the Honourable Minister, Nyesom Wike, for his prompt and timely intervention in meeting our demands, thereby ending our warning shutdown and averting a looming timeless shutdown.
“The Honourable Minister intervened, approved, and ordered the immediate payment of the following:
“The 6 months of arrears of the salaries owed to doctors and other health workers; the Medical Residency Training Funds (2024) that were owed; Approval of the immediate payment of the accoutrement allowance that was owed; Approval of the medical residency bonding to 2 years; Approval of the immediate employment of doctors and allied health workers to cushion the severe shortage of manpower; Approval and immediate payment of locum doctors and other health workers that were owed.
“With this timely intervention by the Honourable Minister, every resident doctor is expected to resume his/her duty post tomorrow by 8:00 hours.
“We also humbly plead with the Honourable Minister to put a mechanism in place to avoid a repeat of this anomaly.
“While we sincerely appreciate the goodwill of the Honourable Minister, we are also hopeful that our other demands will be attended to in due time, such as the payment of the hazard allowance, the upgrading and the rehabilitation of our healthcare facilities, the conversion of post part 2 to consultant cadre, among others.
“As stakeholders in the Renewed Hope Agenda, we strongly believe in your capacity as the Honourable Minister to turn the health sector of FCTA into a reference point for others to follow.
“Be rest assured of our continuous support in the actualisation of this agenda.
“We hope that you will visit our district hospitals in no distant time as we eagerly await to warmly receive you.
“Thank you very much, our Honourable Minister; we do not take your goodwill for granted.”
While thanking the minister for his swift action, Ebong urged him to address other outstanding demands to prevent future industrial action.
