The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has announced the commencement of a three-day warning strike, starting Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
The doctors decided to embark on the strike following an emergency congress held on Monday at the Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja.
Speaking at the meeting, the President of FCT ARD, Dr. George Ebong, said the strike became necessary following the sack of 127 health workers by the FCT Civil Service Commission last Friday without due diligence.
“We are embarking on a three-day warning strike because most of the members were disengaged from service on Friday without due diligence. They were labelled as ghost workers, ex-employees, and absconders when, in fact, these colleagues of ours are still in the system, working even until now.
“We are livid that the FCTA service commission will carry out such an inhuman decision without talking to the health management board, permanent secretary of health, association of resident doctors, or Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria. It is not just doctors that are affected—nurses, pharmacists, and lab scientists, including non-clinical workers, are affected too.
“The managing directors of these hospitals are not aware. In fact, three MDs are affected; 127 health workers are affected. If these numbers are ghost workers, so how do these hospitals operate? The hospitals would have collapsed. What is the staff strength of FCT hospitals?
“The affected health workers’ salaries were stopped without any prior notice. The salaries for last month. This is a clear act of insensitivity and injustice to health workers.
“We demand immediate salary payment for all the affected health workers and apology letter to the affected health workers.”
Dr. Ebong, on behalf of the doctors, threatened that if their demands are not met by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and the FCT Administration within three days, they would embark on an indefinite strike and shut down the nation’s capital hospitals.
”It is a three-day warning starting from tomorrow, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 8 am, and if within the space of three days (which is Friday, May 9, 2025), our demands are not met, we will go on an indefinite strike after an appraisal,” he stated.
Dr. Ebong also demanded the immediate resignation of the chairman of FCT-CSC, Emeka Ezeh.
“We demand the immediate resignation of the chairman of the service commission, Mr. Emeka Ezeh.”
Two weeks ago, primary school teachers and Area Council workers took to the streets of the Federal Capital Territory to protest unpaid salary arrears and the non-implementation of the national minimum wage.
The angry protesters, numbering in the hundreds, shut down the entrance to the office of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, demanding immediate payment of their entitlements.
They accused both the FCT administration and Area Council authorities of breaching multiple agreements and neglecting their welfare, despite available funds.
