The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has given striking resident doctors 24 hours to return to work or face mass sack.
The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, issued the ultimatum at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the decision was reached at an emergency meeting of top management staff of the FCTA.
She further explained that the measure became necessary to ensure that residents of the Federal Capital Territory do not suffer as a result of the strike by the resident doctors.
Recall that members of the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) chapter, had embarked on an indefinite strike over unpaid salaries.
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However, the FCT Minister expressed dismay at the continued strike embarked upon by the resident doctors over irregularities in their salaries for the month of January and February 2020.
“Despite entreaties that the problem was not peculiar to the doctors, but affecting all staff of the FCTA; and efforts made by the office of the FCT Minister of State, with the Accountant General of the Federation, and an appeal to call off the strike, the doctors are yet to resume work.
“In the meantime, the administration has given the striking doctors 24 hours to resume work, after which they should consider themselves as having exited the FCT administration,” she said.
Aliyu, however, expressed the appreciation of the FCT administration for the commitment and dedication to duty of the Medical and Dental Association of Nigeria, nurses and midwives, medical laboratory technologists, pharmacists and other medical and health workers, who remained true to their calling by putting social needs above self.
