FCT resident doctors begin seven-day warning strike
The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory, has embarked on a seven-day warning strike.The development was announced on Monday, in a communiqué signed by the President, George Ebong, alongside other members of the executive.The doctors described the FCT health system as one plagued by long-standing systemic failures, calling for urgent and comprehensive reforms.Ebong noted that resident doctors in the territory are under intense pressure, often compelled to cover multiple departments simultaneously.
He urged the federal government to urgently tackle the growing challenges in the health sector, warning that continued neglect could lead to a systemic collapse.The association demanded swift intervention to address manpower shortages, non-functional equipment, poor working conditions, and unpaid staff allowances.NARD also highlighted grievances over unpaid salaries, delayed promotions, and underpayment of promoted staff, stressing that quick action was needed to boost worker morale and restore efficiency in service delivery.
Ebong further advised that frontline health professionals must be involved in decision-making processes.To emphasise its demands, the association issued the FCT administration a one-week deadline to begin meaningful reforms particularly in staffing and welfare or face a one-week warning strike.Meanwhile, Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Salako, during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, expressed optimism that ongoing talks with the National Association of Resident Doctors would avert the planned strike.“ The National Association of Resident Doctors has issued an ultimatum, but I believe with the level of conversation ongoing, we are making progress.
We had a meeting on Monday,” Salako said.He explained that the main concern was the outstanding residency training allowance, about 40 per cent of which for 2025 had yet to be paid.He assured that discussions were underway to resolve the matter. When asked if the government could guarantee a resolution before the ultimatum lapses, Salako responded, “That is my hope, and that is what we are working on.”NARD had, on September 1, issued a 10-day ultimatum to all relevant government agencies, warning that members would embark on a nationwide strike if their demands were not met.
The resolution was contained in a communiqué signed by NARD President, Tope Osundara; General Secretary, Oluwasola Odunbaku; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Omoha Amobi, after an Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held virtually on Sunday. This comes after a three-week ultimatum earlier issued in July, during which the NEC, in the interest of industrial harmony, granted the National Officers’ Committee an additional three weeks to engage with stakeholders before reconvening.
The E-NEC condemned the federal government’s failure to honour its promises, lamenting that many resident doctors remain unpaid for their 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund. It also faulted the refusal to settle five months’ arrears from the 25 per cent/35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review, alongside other outstanding salary arrears.
