Female health workers contracted under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in May 2023 demonstrated at the FCT minister’s office over alleged non-payment of their six months’ salaries and arrears.
The protesters bearing various banners, some of which included “Health workers are taken for granted” and “The economy is bitter, pay us our salary,” stormed the FCTA chanting, threatening to embark on an indefinite strike if the authority did not meet their demands.
The protesting workers were led by Dr Janet Dan-Ebri, a medical doctor, who claimed that they have not been paid salaries and allowances since they were employed by the FCTA in May 2023; some of them are owed seven months’ salaries and allowances.
“Up until now, nobody has said or done anything about it. We have gone to all the offices of the Health Management Board (HMB), we have spoken to those in authority, and until now, they have not said anything about it.” she complained.
She expressed her sadness about the state of the economy, and the grievances of the people with the market conditions increasing and prices skyrocketing daily.
“How can HMB owe us five, six, and seven months’ salaries and expect us to work? We are appealing to the FCT minister to come to our aide and pay us our salaries and allowances,” she added.
Eucharist Jorbedom, another angry protester working as a lab scientist, said she worked in Maitama District Hospital as a new FCTA staff. However, she could hardly cater for herself and her family as a result of her delayed salaries.
“This month makes it a year that we have not been paid our salaries, both doctors, pharmacists, medical lab scientists, and nurses. They owe us six months’ salary allowances, which are not there. They also pay us with wrong code grades.” She expressed.
She appealed to the FCT minister to rectify all these and pay all their arrears, including the six months’ salaries, as they have been running calls without allowances or financial assistance.
“Some of us are presently sick and at home because the country is very hard. We are presently in pain and we are appealing for the intervention of the FCT minister to solve all these problems.
“If we stop running calls, how can the sick people be treated? If the government refuses to listen to us, we will stop running calls, we will stop going to hospitals to do our normal duties,” she stated.
Adaobi Akpa, a protester speaking on behalf of the pharmacists, said, “We have not been paid our arrears and call allowances, and we have been running calls back-to-back. Some allowances have not been paid to us.”
She mentioned that letters have been written and different complaints made. However, their demands have not been met.
“We are appealing to the government and authorities involved to please listen to us and pay us all our allowances. It is not something that we are supposed to be begging for because we worked for it day in, day out.” she concluded.
