Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has issued a stern warning to resident doctors in Abuja who threaten to strike. He has made it clear that he will not pay FCT medical doctors who go on strike, and if they insist, he will take legal action against them. Furthermore, Wike has emphasized that a strike would save the government money.
Wike's stance comes in response to the ongoing strikes by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) due to the federal government's failure to meet their demands. The doctors' demands include immediate payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), a significant increase in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), and payment of salary arrears dating back to 2015.
The doctors are also calling for the massive recruitment of clinical staff in hospitals and the removal of bureaucratic obstacles to the prompt replacement of doctors and nurses who have either stopped working or traveled abroad.
Wike has urged the doctors to make their recommendations, and the government will evaluate what can and cannot be done. However, he has made it clear that he does not respond well to threats of strikes, emphasizing the need to focus on practical solutions and the reality on the ground
