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If within the space of three days (which is Friday, May 9, 2025), our demands are not met, we will go on an indefinite strike after an appraisal.
The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has begun a three-day warning strike starting at 8 am on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. The strike follows an emergency meeting where doctors protested the sacking of 127 health workers by the FCT Civil Service Commission.
The sacked health workers were allegedly labeled as “ghost workers” despite still being active. The doctors deemed the commission’s decision to stop their April salaries without notice “inhumane and illegal.” They demand the workers’ immediate reinstatement, payment of April salaries, and an apology.
The doctors also demand the resignation of the FCT Civil Service Commission chairman, citing insensitivity and injustice. If demands aren’t met by May 9, 2025, they threaten an indefinite strike, potentially shutting down Abuja’s hospitals.
The president of FCT ARD, Dr George Ebong said, “We are embarking on a three-day warning strike because most of the members were disengaged from service on Friday without due diligence. They were labelled as ghost workers, ex-employees, and absconders when, in fact, these colleagues of ours are still in the system, working even until now.
“We are livid that the FCTA service commission will carry out such an inhumane decision without talking to the health management board, permanent secretary of health, association of resident doctors, or Medical & Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria. It is not just doctors who are affected—nurses, pharmacists, and lab scientists, including non-clinical workers, are affected too.
“The managing directors of these hospitals are not aware. In fact, three MDs are affected. 127 health workers are affected. If these numbers are ghost workers, so how do these hospitals operate? The hospitals would have collapsed. What is the staff strength of FCT hospitals?
“The affected health workers’ salaries were stopped without any prior notice. The salaries for last month. This is a clear act of insensitivity and injustice to health workers. We demand immediate salary payment for all the affected health workers and apology letters to the affected health workers.
“The immediate resignation of the chairman of the service commission, Mr. Emeka Ezeh. It is a three-day warning starting from tomorrow, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 8 am, and if within the space of three days (which is Friday, May 9, 2025), our demands are not met, we will go on an indefinite strike after an appraisal.”