National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Ekpenyong Emmanuel
The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory has given Minister Nyesom Wike an ultimatum, threatening a massive shutdown of hospitals in 14 days if their demands are not met. The doctors are protesting unpaid salaries, with six months’ worth of arrears owed to members employed in 2023.
The President of the Association, Dr. George Ebong, expressed appreciation for Minister Wike’s efforts in infrastructural development but emphasized the need to focus on the well-being of doctors, who are facing severe economic hardship. “While he fixes the infrastructural abandoned project, we are the human abandoned projects,” Ebong said.
The doctors’ demands include:
– *Immediate Payment of Salary Arrears*: Six months’ worth of unpaid salaries for members employed in 2023
– *Payment of Medical Residency Training Fund*: Urgent payment of the 2024 fund
– *Review of Bonding Policy*: Reduction of the bonding period from six years to two years
– *Implementation of Skipping Policy*: Enforcement of skipping and issuance of skipping letters to members employed in 2023
– *Payment of Accoutrements Allowance*: Immediate payment of the 2024 allowance
– *Payment of Hazard Allowance Arrears*: Payment of 13 months’ worth of outstanding hazard allowance arrears
The doctors warned that failure to meet their demands would lead to a collapse of the nation’s health sector, resulting in loss of lives. They urged Minister Wike to take swift action to prevent this outcome.
