FCT doctors begin strike over unpaid salaries
Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) went on strike on Wednesday, halting medical services in protest over the non-payment of seven months’ salaries for their colleagues employed in 2023.
A visit to Kubwa General Hospital revealed that patients were informed they could not be treated due to the strike. Sources within the hospital indicated that the strike would last for three days as a warning, with the possibility of an indefinite action if the government fails to address the doctors’ demands.
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Earlier, the Association of Resident Doctors in the FCT had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the FCT Minister on December 23, 2024, demanding urgent intervention. The deadline passed on January 6, 2025, without any resolution.
Among the doctors’ key demands, as outlined by Dr. George Ebong, the association’s president, are the clearance of the Medical Residency Training Fund for 2024, implementation of the skipping policy for 2023 employees, payment of the 2024 accoutrements allowance, and settlement of arrears for the 13 months’ hazard allowance.
Mrs. Ihiaka, who had brought her daughter to the hospital in a wheelchair, expressed frustration over the situation, noting that she would now have to seek treatment at a private hospital, regardless of the cost. She urged the FCT minister to address the doctors’ grievances and to prioritize the health and education sectors, alongside ongoing infrastructure projects.
Dr. Babagana Adam, the Permanent Secretary for the Health Services and Environmental Secretariat, declined to comment on the matter.
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