FCT resident doctors suspend strike

The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA), has suspended its indefinite strike. The association, in a communiqué issued on Tuesday, said the decision to suspend the strike followed its emergency general meeting on Monday. The resident doctors, in the communiqué signed by the President, Dr. Roland Aigbovo and the General Secretary, Dr. […]

The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA), has suspended its indefinite strike.

The association, in a communiqué issued on Tuesday, said the decision to suspend the strike followed its emergency general meeting on Monday.

The resident doctors, in the communiqué signed by the President, Dr. Roland Aigbovo and the General Secretary, Dr. Mustapha Ibrahim, however, said that all contentious issues should be resolved within five weeks as agreed by all parties.

It threatened that the body will resume its indefinite action on May 1 if authorities failed to meet its demands.

The communique said: “That the congress has unanimously agreed to suspend the strike action.

“That all contentious issues are to be resolved within five (5) weeks as agreed by all parties.

“That if by the 30th of April, 2020, (5 weeks duration) all issues are still not resolved, we will resume our indefinite strike action with effect from 1st of May, 2020.”.

The body had embarked on an indefinite strike on 17 March as a result of irregularities in January and February salaries and non-payment of the shortfalls by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

The industrial action was also because of the “non-payment of 2016, 2017 and 2018 promotion arrears, non-payment of the balance of skipping arrears, non-payment of first 28 days allowance to members employed from 2012 till date with the exception of a few that were paid in 2018 and non-payment of four to five months salaries owed newly employed members.”

The emergency meeting was called following the directive received from the National Officers Committee of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

The resident doctors said that FCT, Nigeria and indeed the world at large was currently faced with a global health emergency (COVID-19), adding that the Nigerian Medical Association, recognizing the threat of the disease, directed all medical associations who had declared strike action against their management to suspend all such actions in the face of the global health emergency.

The resident doctors also resolved that a five-man committee be immediately constituted to monitor progress of the implementation of the resolutions reached.

They also enjoined the FCTA management to adopt drastic measures that would help slow the spread and reduce complications of COVID-19 to the barest minimum.