By Akinwale Kasali
The Presidency thinks they are heartless; that it was a very wrong time to embark on a strike action, a time when Nigeria, and the whole world are in an unprecedented health crisis; a time when their colleagues in the other parts of the world are on the frontlines, trying to save their country men and women from the ravages of the Coronavirus, a pandemic disease which is threatening to sink the world and its economy.
But the striking Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, are not moved. For all the broken agreements they have had from Government, they think this is the most appropriate time to bare their fangs, and take their pound of flesh. So they insist on the strike they have embarked on over unpaid salaries.
President Muhammadu Buhari is disturbed.
So, he has ordered the Ministry of Health to swing into action, and ask the Resident Doctors to return to their places of work with immediate effect. And that their action at this period would have consequences if they disobey.
Following President Buhari’s order, the Federal Capital Territory Administration has warned the striking resident doctors to return to their duty posts within the next 24 hours or face mass sack.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu , said the directive was necessary and was reached after an emergency meeting of top management staff of the FCTA.
Earlier this week, members of the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) chapter, announced their sit-at-home plan over non payment of salaries.
Aliyu, however, condemned the act and said that the strike was targeted at making residents of the FCT suffer.
She said the FCT administration noted with dismay, the continued strike embarked upon by the resident doctors, over irregularities in their salaries for the month of January and February 2020.
“Despite entreaties that the problem was not peculiar to the doctors, but affecting all staff of the FCTA; and efforts made by the office of the FCT Minister of State, with the Accountant General of the Federation, and an appeal to call off the strike, the doctors are yet to resume work.
“In the meantime, the administration has given the striking doctors 24 hours to resume work, after which they should consider themselves as having exited the FCT administration,” she said.
