By Blessing Otobong-Gabriel
Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration, ARD-FCTA, chapter, yesterday, announced that it will commence an indefinite strike starting 12 midnight on Saturday, November 1 over unresolved welfare and administrative issues affecting its members.
The declaration, contained in a letter dated October 30 and addressed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, was signed by the association’s President, Dr George Ebong, and General Secretary, Dr Agbor Affiong.
This followed the announcement by its national body.
Meanwhile, ARD-FCTA doctors vowed to continue their own indefinite strike action even if the national body suspends or calls off its ongoing strike.
It noted that the action became necessary due to long-standing issues affecting its members, which, it said, have not been resolved despite previous engagements with the authorities.
The impending strike is expected to strain healthcare delivery in the FCT, especially as resident doctors constitute the majority of the medical workforce in public hospitals.
ARD-FCTA is the association of doctors practising in the 14 district and general hospitals, including the Department of Public Health under the FCTA.
According to the letter, the decision followed an emergency congress held on Wednesday, October 29 during which members unanimously voted to fully join the indefinite strike earlier declared by the national body.
“This is to formally notify relevant stakeholders of the impending indefinite strike action declared by our parent body, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, scheduled to commence from 12 midnight on Saturday, November 1.
“Following this declaration, the Supreme Congress of ARD-FCTA, after its Emergency Congress held on Wednesday, October 29, deliberated extensively on the state of our unresolved local issues. Congress unanimously voted to fully join the NARD-declared indefinite strike in its entirety.
“It is, however, important to note that even if NARD suspends or calls off its strike, ARD-FCTA will continue with its own indefinite strike until all demands peculiar to our centre have been satisfactorily met,” the letter partly stated.
The letter, which was received by various offices yesterday including the Office of the FCT Minister, Head of Service and the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, signals potential disruption in medical services across hospitals under the FCT Administration.
The doctors are demanding the immediate payment of all outstanding salary arrears to members employed since 2023; commencement of recruitment of new doctors with written, time-bound commitments and the immediate payment of the 2025 MRTF for doctors medical training.
Other demands include the immediate stoppage of erroneous deductions and correction of irregular salary payments; documented timelines for skipping and conversion to be fully concluded within one month; and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, mandating the skipping of members within three months of employment.
They are also seeking the conversion of post-Part II Fellows to consultant cadre within six months, release of promotion timelines and full payment of arrears within one month, and the immediate payment of wage award arrears, as already done for colleagues at the federal and state levels.
Additional demands are the immediate payment of arrears from the 25/35 percent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review, urgent renovation, equipping and upgrading of FCTA hospitals to globally acceptable standards, immediate payment of 13 months hazard allowance arrears and the immediate payment of all arrears owed to 2025 external residents.
