The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has warned resident doctors in the nation’s capital against threatening him with strike. 

Addressing the medical doctors in Abuja, Mr Wike stated that he would not pay doctors who take industrial action during his tenure in office.

The minister publicly asserted his readiness to go to court for a resolution.

“Make your recommendations, and we will see the ones we can do and those we can’t do,” the minister said. “Don’t threaten me with a strike because I like it. When you go on strike, I save money; even if you come back, I won’t pay. We will determine it in court.”

He added, “It’s not about promises but the reality on ground. I don’t believe in theory.” he reiterated.

Recent strike actions by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) provide the backdrop for the minister’s speech. 

NARD’s on-and-off industrial actions resulted from the federal government’s failure to meet their demands, which include the immediate payment of the 2013 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), an upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), and clearing all salary arrears which the government has owed its members since 2015.

The doctors are equally calling for the immediate recruitment of clinical staff in hospitals and the elimination of bureaucratic impediments that hinder the swift replacement of doctors and nurses who no longer work in the Nigerian healthcare system.