FCT Resident Doctors Suspends Warning Strike Over Dismissals Of Health Workers
Practicing medical doctors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on the aegis of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Chapter, on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, called off a three-day warning strike few hours after it commenced.
The ARD FCTA chapter had on Monday, May 5, 2025 announced the commencement of a three-Day warning strike to protest against what it described as wrongful dismissal of 127 healthcare workers, which members of the Association considered as arbitrary and unjust.
The members of the ARD FCTA Chapter noted that the FCT Civil Service Commission wrongfully labelled the affected staff as abscondees and removed their names from the federal payment platform without due consultation.
It specifically noted that the wrongful and arbitrary dismissals were carried out without any input from the FCT Health Management Board or the relevant professional bodies.
The ARD in a communique issued after an emergency meeting, demanded the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission for undermining staff welfare and proper administrative protocol.
It was demanded the Hospital Management Board to issue a public disclaimer affirming the employment status of the affected workers, whom the Association noted had continued to discharge their duties diligently.
The ARD FCTA Chapter said that its decision to suspend the strike was taken to allow the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to intervene and facilitate a peaceful resolution of the matter.
The communique further said; “We sincerely appreciate the Honourable Minister’s transformative efforts in FCT infrastructure. We urge him to channel similar energy toward resolving the critical issues threatening the health sector.”
While commending the FCT Minister for approving the recruitment of 315 healthcare professionals, the ARD expressed concern that the hiring process has yet to be executed.
Stakeholders in the health sector are now calling on the FCTA to act quickly and decisively to avoid another industrial action in the already strained sector.
