The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA), has confirmed the payment of some outstanding salary arrears and allowances owed to its members.

The doctors, however, said the ongoing indefinite strike in solidarity with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors will continue until all demands peculiar to its members are fully met.

ARD-FCTA president Dr. George Ebong disclosed this in a statement to Ekwutosblog on Wednesday.

The association confirmed that 28 doctors who had been owed salary arrears ranging from one month to one year were paid two nights ago.

It added that some doctors received their Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), though 47 of the 150 doctors who were due for the allowance are yet to be paid.

Dr. Ebong commended the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for what he described as the beginning of the implementation of their demands.

However, he stressed that resolving only a portion of the issues is not enough to call off the strike.

Ebong noted that the association remains open to dialogue and acknowledged ongoing engagements with the National Assembly and FCTA management.

“Two nights ago, the 28 doctors who had been owed their salary arrears for more than two years, ranging between 1 month to 6 months to 1 year, were paid.

“Also the MRTF of some doctors was also paid. Out of 150 doctors owed by the MRTF, only 103 were paid; there is a remainder of 47 doctors not yet paid.

“Salaries were also paid yesterday (Tuesday) starting from the morning time.

“We are indeed grateful to the Honourable Minister for the beginning of the implementation of demands.

“These demands are very pertinent to this strike and are also the prerequisite to the suspension of this strike both at the NARD level and also at the ARD-FCTA.

“While we are grateful for the dialogues that we have been involved in at the National Assembly and the FCTA management, we hope to find a lasting solution to the lamentable situation of our healthcare system.

“Finally, the management and the government should not always wait for a strike to occur before scampering to listen to our yearning.

“Our sincere appreciation once more to the HM FCT, Nyesom Wike, for his leadership and commitment to our country as we continue to work together to ensure that we continue our commitment to the welfare of our patients while we as health professionals are not neglected (again).

“However, the indefinite strike will continue until the rest of our demands are met,” he stated.

The association outlined several conditions that must be met before the strike can be suspended both at the national level (NARD) and within the FCTA. These include:

Immediate payment of MRTF for the remaining 47 doctors.

Payment of salaries owed to external resident doctors for 6–7 months.

Settlement of longstanding skipping arrears.

Payment of overdue promotion arrears.

Payment of post-Part II conversion arrears.

Implementation of the CONMESS 25 percent /35 percent adjustment is already in effect in federal institutions.

Payment of the approved wage award.

Settlement of 13 months’ hazard allowance arrears dating back to 2021.

Immediate employment of additional healthcare workers.

Improvement of working conditions across FCTA health facilities.

Indefinite strike

DAILY POST reports that ARD-FCTA joined NARD in an indefinite industrial action since Saturday, November 1, 2025, over unmet demands.

ARD-FCTA recently lamented the implementation of its demands despite the approval by FCT Minister, Wike.

– President Tinubu Orders Immediate Action to Restore Services

– Minister Sets Up Taskforce to Monitor Hospitals

The Federal Government has expressed deep concern over the ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), assuring Nigerians that concrete steps are being taken to end the industrial action and restore normal services across public hospitals.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the ministry to take all legitimate measures to ensure resident doctors return to their duty posts without delay.

Dr. Salako tendered an unreserved apology to Nigerians affected by the disruption of medical services, emphasizing that the government remains committed to protecting citizens’ access to healthcare.

“On behalf of myself, the Coordinating Minister, and all top management staff of the ministry, I want to express our regret and unconditional apology to Nigerians, especially those who needed to access healthcare in the last 48 hours,” Salako stated.

“The President has expressly directed that we do everything possible and legitimate to ensure resident doctors are brought back to their duty posts as soon as possible.”

On the government’s ongoing efforts, the minister disclosed that the government has been engaging NARD and other health unions through the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) mechanism, inaugurated in August 2025, to address outstanding issues around wages, allowances, and working conditions.

He explained that two major areas of disagreement, salary relativity and consultant cadre appointments, are being reviewed by an independent industrial relations expert, with an interim report already submitted.

“We are not sitting idly. The government has addressed most of the 19 issues raised by the resident doctors,” he said. “We are taking our time to ensure whatever agreement we reach is sustainable and fair to all health workers.”

Addressing the staff shortages and welfare measures, responding to complaints about manpower shortages and work overload; Dr. Salako revealed that the ministry had recruited 14,444 health workers in 2024 and had already approved the employment of 23,059 more in 2025, across 78 federal tertiary health institutions.

He also announced the establishment of a ministerial taskforce to monitor hospital operations during the strike and ensure continuity of essential services.

“Consultants have been directed to maintain emergency and outpatient services,” Salako said. “We appeal to the public to be patient as we work towards resolving this crisis.”

Speaking on the financial commitments and allowance, the Minister disclosed that the government had released ₦21.3 billion to settle outstanding arrears and allowances, with about 60% of resident doctors already receiving payment alerts. An additional ₦11.9 billion has been processed for payment this week.

He further noted that ₦10 billion was earlier disbursed exclusively for the Medical Residency Training Fund, which supports doctors’ professional examinations.

Appealing for calm and cooperation, Dr. Salako appealed to striking resident doctors to return to work in good faith, emphasizing that the government recognizes their invaluable service and is committed to their welfare.

“If it were possible, we would pay our doctors ₦50 million monthly, because no one can truly compensate for a health worker’s service,” he noted. “But we must operate within the economic realities of the country.”

He reaffirmed that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would continue to engage all parties constructively to reach a lasting and fair resolution.

“The health sector is a team,” the minister concluded. “What affects one group affects all. Our goal is a unified, functional system that delivers quality care to Nigerians.”

Also speaking, clarifying the Medical & Dental Council of Nigeria issue, Dr. Abdu Enejo, Deputy Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), clarified that there had been no “downgrading” of membership certificates from the West African College of Physicians and Surgeons, but rather a categorization of qualifications in line with regulatory standards.

“There has been no downgrade. What we have is categorization based on specialty and institution. Any wrongly classified qualification can be resubmitted for correction,” Enejo explained.

Assuring service continuity, in his remarks, Dr. Yahaya Adamu, Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, assured that consultants and key staff across federal hospitals are sustaining emergency and critical services despite the strike.

“Our emergency units and theatres remain open. We urge the public to come forward for urgent care when necessary,” Adamu said.

…Massive Recruitment, Payment of Arrears, and Reforms Underway as Government Prioritises

Health Workforce Wellbeing as the Bedrock of System Strengthening.

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to ensuring industrial peace, harmony, and sustained reform in Nigeria’s health sector, emphasising that the welfare, motivation, and stability of the nation’s health workforce remain the foundation upon which all health policies, strategies, and actions are built.

This assurance was reiterated during a high-level meeting led by Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako between the top management of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the leadership of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), following the association’s recent agitations over welfare and professional concerns.

CONCRETE ACTIONS TO ADDRESS WELFARE CONCERNS

In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare commenced the payment of seven months’ arrears of the 25%/35% upward review of CONMESS and CONHESS to all categories of health workers with 10 billion naira paid in August 2025. Following the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for these arrears owed to health workers including members of NARD to be paid expeditiously, as of Thursday 30th October, another sum of 21.3 billion naira has been moved to the IPPIS account and payment has commenced.

In addition, the sum of 11.995 billion is being processed for release within 72 hours to pay other arrears including accoutrement allowance. All these payments are being enjoyed by members of NARD in accordance with the salary structure in the health sector.

RECRUITMENT AND WORKFORCE EXPANSION

To address the strain caused by brain drain and prolonged working hours, the Federal Government has granted special waivers to enable the massive recruitment of healthcare professionals across Federal Tertiary Institutions.

In 2024, over 20,000 health workers, including doctors, nurses, and allied professionals were employed across 58 Federal Health Institutions, under the Renewed Hope Health Agenda’s commitment to strengthening human resources for health. The recruitment for 2025 is currently ongoing with over 15,000 health workers already approved to be employed.

Additionally, the Federal Government has released #10.6 billion as at September 2025 as full payment for the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) paid exclusively to resident doctors nationwide.

This recruitment drive is part of a larger strategy to ensure that Nigeria’s health facilities are adequately staffed, safe, and equipped to deliver quality care to citizens.

ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS AND INDUSTRIAL DIALOGUE

The Ministry confirmed that collective bargaining discussions are ongoing the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), where NARD is an affiliate, the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANM).

To deepen dialogue and proffer solutions to controversial issues that arose in the course of the CBA,, the Ministry has engaged a professional negotiator who is a Professor of Industrial Relations, Prof. Dafe Otobo, to facilitate further constructive engagements between government and union leaders with the active involvement of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. The negotiator has since met with all the unions individually, a joint meeting of the unions with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare with the negotiator has also taken place as of Thursday 24th October 2025. All these is being done to facilitate decisions at the CBA and ensure a comprehensive, universally discussed and agreed solutions to the agitations of health workers which has been missing in recent past negotiations.

“Discussions are progressing on all the points raised by the health unions including NARD, an affiliate of NMA. Such issues includes specialist and other allowances, salary relativity, appointed of consultant cadre in our hospitals and other welfare-related issues. The Ministry of Labour and Productivity has expressed its readiness to conclude the collective bargaining process once consensus is reached,” the statement noted.

CLARIFICATIONS ON SPECIFIC ISSUES

• Dismissal of Five Doctors (Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja): The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has offered 3 of the staff affected who has not faced a properly constituted disciplinary committee of the government the opportunity to be reabsorbed back into the employment of the Federal government if they so wish.

• Two of the affected staff faced a disciplinary panel constituted in line with the public service rule. Their cases have now been referred to expert negotiator engaged by the ministry, Prof. Dafe Otobo to review the circumstances surrounding the dismissal and submit a report within 4 weeks for necessary administrative action.

Certificate Categorization: The Ministry clarified that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) reclassified, not downgraded, certificates issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical College from Category B to C, describing it as a routine regulatory adjustment.