The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has called off its three-day warning strike after the intervention of Nyesome Wike.
The President of the Association, Dr. George Ebong, in a statement on Friday, said the Federal Capital Territory Administration under Wike has met most of their demands.
PUNCH Online reports that the Doctors, on Wednesday, embarked on a three-day warning strike to press home their demands.
However, in an update on Friday, Ebong revealed that its members have started receiving alerts of the six-month salary arrears.
He also said Wike has approved and ordered immediate payment of the accoutrement allowance that was owed; approval of the Medical Residency Training Funds (2024); approval of the immediate employment of doctors and allied health workers to cushion the severe shortage of manpower; and approval and immediate payment of locum doctors and other health workers.
Ebong added that with the intervention of Wike, doctors in the FCT are requested to resume work on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
He, however, urged the minister to meet other of its demands to avert future strike action.
On behalf of the executive members and the entire supreme congress of the ARD-FCTA, I, Dr. George Ebong, deeply appreciate the Honourable Minister, Nyesom Wike, for his prompt and timely intervention in meeting our demands, thereby ending our warning shutdown and averting a looming timeless shutdown.
“The Honourable Minister intervened, approved, and ordered the immediate payment of the six months of arrears of the salaries owed to doctors and other health workers; the Medical Residency Training Funds (2024) that were owed; Approval of the immediate payment of the accoutrement allowance that was owed; approval of the medical residency bonding to two years; approval of the immediate employment of doctors and allied health workers to cushion the severe shortage of manpower; approval and immediate payment of locum doctors and other health workers that were owed.
“With this timely intervention by the Honourable Minister, every resident doctor is expected to resume his/her duty post tomorrow by 8:00 hours. We also humbly plead with the Honourable Minister to put a mechanism in place to avoid a repeat of this anomaly
While we sincerely appreciate the goodwill of the Honourable Minister, we are also hopeful that our other demands will be attended to in due time, such as the payment of the hazard allowance, the upgrading and the rehabilitation of our healthcare facilities, the conversion of post part two to consultant cadre, among others,” he stated.
He reassured the minister of continued support for the Renewed Hope Agenda.
(PUNCH)