The Association of Resident Doctors of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) has announced plans to embark on an indefinite strike beginning 12 midnight on Saturday, November 1, 2025, citing persistent welfare and administrative challenges affecting its members.
The decision, disclosed in a letter dated October 30, 2025, was addressed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and signed by the association’s President, Dr. George Ebong, and General Secretary, Dr. Agbor Affiong.
The letter, made available to journalists on Friday by Dr. Ebong, stated that the strike aligns with the national directiveof the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), which also declared an indefinite industrial action on the same date.
However, the ARD-FCTA emphasized that it would continue its own strike action independently, even if the national body suspends or ends its ongoing strike, until all FCT-specific grievances are resolved.
According to the association, the strike became necessary following the government’s failure to address long-standing issues, despite several meetings and engagements.
The impending industrial action is expected to worsen healthcare delivery in the FCT, as resident doctors make up a large percentage of the medical workforce across public hospitals.
The ARD-FCTA represents doctors working in 14 district and general hospitals, including those in the Department of Public Health under the FCT Administration.
The letter explained that the decision followed an emergency congress meeting held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, where members unanimously voted to join the national strike in full.
“This is to formally notify all relevant stakeholders of the impending indefinite strike action declared by our parent body, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), scheduled to commence from 12 midnight on Saturday, 1st November 2025.
“Following this declaration, the Supreme Congress of ARD-FCTA, after its Emergency Congress Meeting held on Wednesday, 29th October 2025, deliberated extensively on the state of our unresolved local issues. The Congress unanimously voted to fully join the NARD-declared indefinite strike in its entirety.
“It is, however, important to note that even if NARD suspends or calls off its strike, ARD-FCTA will continue with its own indefinite strike action until all demands peculiar to our centre have been satisfactorily met,” the letter partly stated.
The letter, which was received and acknowledged on October 31, 2025, by several offices, including those of the FCT Minister, Head of Service, and the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, signals possible disruptions across FCT-owned hospitals.
The doctors’ demands include:
Immediate payment of outstanding salary arrears for members employed since 2023.
Commencement of recruitment of new doctors with a written, time-bound commitment to conclude before the end of 2025.
Immediate payment of the 2025 MRTF for doctors’ medical training.
Correction of erroneous salary deductions and irregular payments.
Documented timelines for skipping and conversion to be concluded within one month.
Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) mandating skipping within three months of employment.
Other key demands include: Conversion of post-Part II Fellows to Consultant cadre within six months.
Release of promotion timelines and full payment of arrears within one month, payment of wage award arrears, similar to colleagues at the federal and state levels, and settlement of arrears from the 25/35 per cent CONMESS review.
Renovation and upgrading of all FCTA hospitals to global standards.
Payment of 13 months’ hazard allowance arrears.
Settlement of all arrears owed to 2025 external residents.
With the strike set to begin, medical services across FCT hospitals are expected to experience significant delays and disruptions if urgent interventions are not made.
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