The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA), has begun an indefinite strike over non payment of salaries and poor condition of infrastructure at their hospitals.
Roland Aigbovo, president of the association, while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday said an emergency general meeting of the Association held yesterday and it was unanimously agreed that until all its demands are met the indefinite strike action which commenced yesterday 16th of March 2020 will continue.
Aigbovo decried that it’s members were thrown into serious financial distress following the non-payment of our salaries as at when due explaining that they waited patiently after the end of year 2019 and new year 2020 celebrations, till third week of February only to receive a paltry sum of money as January salary.
The money received according to him, ranges from one-fifth to one-tenth tenths of our salary with the exclusion of the newly employed members who have not been paid for about 5 to 7 months.
He recalled that the association had issued a 14-day ultimatum was issued to the FCTA management to resolve the following issues; Payment of the balance skipping areas, payments of first 28 days already approved by the Minister of FCT, payment of 2016, 2017 and 2018 promotion arrears, improvement on the security situation on their hospitals, and provision and maintenance of equipment and infrastructure in their various hospitals.
“The 14 days ultimatum lapsed on Friday 6th of March 2020, and a 7-day extension was granted by the Congress of our Association at an emergency general meeting with inclusion of the payments of February 2020 salary.
“It will interest you to know that on Friday 13th of March 2020 FCTA began the payment of February 2020 salaries with no third-party deductions like pensions, tax, NHF, Association’s dues, cooperative contributions and others likely loans repayment.
“Our newly employed members were paid only one month out of five to seven months and the house officers were paid the two months without the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage and the arrears,” he said.
The President also informed that other unions in the FCTA are also gearing up for an industrial action probably in the next 48 hours if these demands which are same and not met.
He noted that FCTA management has laid the blame squarely on the integrated personnel and payroll information system, IPPIS at the office of the accountant-general of the federation.
He therefore to appealed to the minister of the FCT Muhammad Musa Bello to look into the matter.
ARD-FCTA is the FCTA chapter of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors. Our Association comprising of all doctors practicing in the 14 district and general hospitals, department of public health and primary health care development board under the federal capital territory administration (FCTA) excluding the consultants.
Godsgift Onyedinefu
