Resident doctors in the FCT have declared an indefinite strike beginning November 1, citing unpaid salaries and poor welfare.
They vowed to continue even if the national strike is called off.
The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) has announced an indefinite strike, saying it will continue its industrial action even if the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) suspends its ongoing nationwide strike.
The decision was reached after an emergency congress meeting held on Wednesday, October 29. In a statement signed by the association’s president, Dr. George Ebong, on Friday, the doctors said the strike would begin at midnight on Saturday, November 1, the same day the national strike takes effect.
“The Congress unanimously voted to fully join the NARD-declared indefinite strike in its entirety,” Dr. Ebong said.
“However, even if NARD suspends or calls off its strike, ARD-FCTA will continue with its own indefinite strike action until all demands peculiar to our centre have been satisfactorily met.”
With both NARD and ARD-FCTA on indefinite strike, medical services in public hospitals across Nigeria are expected to face severe disruptions from Saturday.
Local demands and unresolved issues
The FCT resident doctors said several of their demands have remained unresolved, including unpaid salaries since 2023, delayed promotions, and failure to recruit new doctors to fill vacant positions.
They are also calling for the immediate recruitment of doctors with a clear timeline to conclude the process before the end of 2025. Other demands include the payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), settlement of wage award arrears, and the correction of wrongful salary deductions.
ARD-FCTA further demanded the full implementation of the 25 and 35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) review, the payment of 13 months’ hazard allowance arrears, and the release of long-delayed promotion benefits. The group also urged the FCTA to upgrade hospitals in the territory to “globally acceptable standards.
NARD’s nationwide strike
The national body, NARD, had earlier declared an indefinite strike over what it described as the government’s failure to address long-standing issues affecting doctors’ welfare and working conditions.
According to NARD, the federal government has shown “no political will” to meet its commitments despite several meetings and strike extensions.
The doctors’ grievances include unpaid salary arrears, poor working conditions, shortage of manpower, and failure to review doctors’ salaries for over 16 years. NARD also cited non-payment of promotion arrears since 2021, unpaid specialist allowances, and the exclusion of house officers from the civil service scheme, which denies them welfare and pension benefits.
NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, said doctors and other health workers are owed between ₦35 billion and ₦38 billion in accumulated allowances. Some teaching hospitals, he said, have not paid doctors for several months.
He listed affected hospitals to include Benue State University Teaching Hospital, where doctors are owed 18 months’ arrears; Federal Medical Centre, Owo, where members are owed between four and eight months’ salaries; and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, where 83 doctors employed under the 2022 waiver and 40 others are still awaiting salaries and arrears.
Dr. Suleiman said similar payment delays exist at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, and the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, where some doctors are yet to be added to the payroll.
He appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and resolve the crisis.
