Members of the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) have embarked on an indefinite strike over non-payment of their salaries.
The President of the FCT chapter of the association, Dr. Roland Aigbovo, disclosed this at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that the strike which already began on Monday, was to press home their demand for urgent payment of their salaries.
According to Aigbovo, the strike would be observed by all members of ARD-FCT which comprises all doctors practicing in the 14 districts and General hospitals, Department of Public Health and Primary Healthcare Development Board under the FCTA, excluding consultants.
He said further: “Our members were thrown into serious financial distress following non-payment of our salaries when due and we waited patiently after the end of year 2019 and new year 2020 celebrations till third week of February, only for us to receive a paltry sum of money as January salary.
“The money received ranged from one-fifth to one-tenth of our salary with the exclusion of the newly employed members who have not been paid for about five to seven months.”
Aigbovo said that the association after its First Quarter Ordinary General Meeting held on Feb. 24, issued a 14-day ultimatum to the FCTA management on their demands.
READ ALSO: Medical Doctors In Anambra Begin Indefinite Strike
The demands, he explained include payment of the balance skipping arrears, payment of first 28 days already approved by the FCT Minister as well as the payment of 2016, 2017 and 2018 promotion arrears.
Other demands include the improvement on security situation in hospitals, as well as the provision and maintenance of equipment and infrastructure in the various hospitals in the territory.
The ARD-FCTA president noted that at the end of the 14-day ultimatum on March 6, a seven-day extension was also granted by the Congress of the association at an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) with the inclusion of the payment of February 2020 salary.
He added: “It will interest you to know that on Friday, March 13, FCTA started payment of February 2020 salary with no third-party deductions like Pension, tax, NHF, association dues, cooperative contributions and others like loans repayment.
“Our newly employed members were paid only one month out of five to seven months and house officers were paid two months without the Consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage and the arrears.
“An emergency general meeting of our association held yesterday (Monday) and it was unanimously agreed that until all our demands are met, the indefinite strike, which commenced on March 16 will continue.”
Aigbovo appealed to the Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello, to look into the association’s demands with a view to resolving them as soon as possible.
