Resident Doctors at ABUTH Begin Five-Day Warning Strike Over Unpaid Salaries
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) has initiated a five-day warning strike due to unpaid salaries owed to some of its members.
Okoro David Emeka 
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) has initiated a five-day warning strike due to unpaid salaries owed to some of its members. This announcement was made by the branch association’s Vice President, Dr. Ashiru Mikail, during a news conference on Monday in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Dr. Mikail stated that the association had issued a one-week ultimatum to the hospital management on July 15, 2024, to address their demands or face a warning strike. With the ultimatum expiring on Sunday, July 21, 2024, the association commenced the strike.
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The association rejects percentage salary payments for members on the GIFMIS platform and demands the repayment of withheld salaries. Dr. Mikail highlighted that in June 2024, the salaries of affected members were reduced by approximately 25 to 27 percent, amounting to N58,000 to N60,000. Additionally, these doctors are owed salary arrears dating back to 2021.
Despite the economic challenges in the country, no valid reasons for the salary deductions were provided by the management. The management proposed to pay N2 million monthly to offset the arrears of accoutrement allowance from the overhead cost, which translates to only N5,000 per member monthly, far below the N100,000 owed to each member.
Dr. Mikail noted that over 60 percent of Federal Tertiary Health institutions in the North West zone have begun paying the arrears of accoutrement allowance, but ABUTH has not. Instead, ABUTH proposed to pay N5,000 instead of the N25,000 owed.
The association also demands the implementation of a 25 percent CONMESS upward review of the salaries for members on the GIFMIS platform, among other demands. After the warning strike, the association plans to reconvene to review its strategy and determine the next course of action.
