The Affiliation of Resident Medical doctors within the Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) has declared a separate indefinite strike, insisting it’ll proceed its motion even when the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) suspends its ongoing nationwide strike.
The choice adopted an emergency congress assembly of ARD-FCTA held on Wednesday, 29 October. The decision was contained in a press release signed by the affiliation’s president, George Ebong, on Friday.
In response to the assertion, the strike will start at midnight on Saturday, 1 November, the identical day the nationwide NARD motion takes impact.
“The Congress unanimously voted to totally be part of the NARD-declared indefinite strike in its entirety,” Mr Ebong stated.
“Nonetheless, even when NARD suspends or calls off its strike, ARD-FCTA will proceed with its personal indefinite strike motion till all calls for peculiar to our centre have been satisfactorily met.”
With each NARD and ARD-FCTA now on indefinite strike, public hospitals nationwide are anticipated to expertise widespread service disruptions beginning Saturday.
Unresolved native calls for
The FCT resident medical doctors listed a number of unresolved points, together with unpaid salaries since 2023, delayed promotions, and the shortage of recruitment to fill vacant positions.
The medical doctors are additionally demanding the speedy graduation of recruitment of recent medical doctors, with a time-bound dedication to conclude the method earlier than the top of 2025.
Different key calls for embrace fee of the 2025 Medical Residency Coaching Fund (MRTF), stoppage of inaccurate wage deductions, and fee of wage award arrears.
ARD-FCTA additionally referred to as for the complete implementation of the 25 and 35 per cent Consolidated Medical Wage Construction (CONMESS) overview, the fee of 13 months hazard allowance arrears, and the discharge of excellent promotion advantages.
It additional urged the FCTA to equip and improve its hospitals to “globally acceptable requirements.”
Nationwide strike
As beforehand reported by PREMIUM TIMES, NARD declared an indefinite strike following what it described as the federal government’s failure to deal with long-standing welfare and dealing situation considerations.
The affiliation stated the federal authorities has proven “no political will” to fulfill its commitments regardless of repeated engagements and extensions of strike ultimatums.
NARD’s grievances embrace non-payment of wage arrears, poor working situations, manpower shortages, and failure to overview medical doctors’ salaries for over 16 years.
The affiliation additionally cited unpaid promotion arrears since 2021, non-payment of specialist allowances, and the continued exclusion of home officers from the civil service scheme, which denies them welfare and pension advantages.
In response to NARD President Muhammad Suleiman, medical doctors and different well being employees throughout the nation are owed between N35 billion and N38 billion in collected allowances, with some establishments but to pay salaries courting again a number of months.
Unpaid salaries in instructing hospitals
NARD additionally listed a number of well being establishments owing salaries and allowances. These embrace the Benue State College Instructing Hospital, the place medical doctors are owed 18 months’ arrears, and the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, the place members are owed between 4 and eight months’ salaries, together with allowances.
On the Obafemi Awolowo College Instructing Hospitals Advanced, Ile-Ife, it requested the speedy fee of salaries owed to 83 medical doctors employed beneath the 2022 waiver, the March 2024 wage of 40 medical doctors, and arrears starting from seven to 14 months.
It highlighted that related points persist on the Federal Instructing Hospital, Lokoja, and the College of Uyo Instructing Hospital, the place some medical doctors are but to be captured on the payroll.
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Mr Suleiman appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene within the dispute and make sure the long-standing points are resolved as soon as and for all.
“Mr President, they’ve been paying themselves their salaries and allowances. It’s we who’re within the discipline working that they don’t seem to be paying. I hope you’ll take heed to this passionate attraction and use your goodwill. You’re the father of the nation. Come into this matter, weigh in on it, and remedy it for us,” he stated.
