The FCT Chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) on Friday protested against the non-implementation of N70, 000 minimum wage in the six area councils of the Territory and other arrears and allowances.
The protesters, including FCT Chapter of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), also alleged shutdown of over 270 the Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) in the six area councils of the FCT.
Speaking during the protest, the Chairman NANNM-FCT, Mr. Jama Medan, said “Nigeria ranks second in maternal and child deaths,” adding that the continuous closure of the PHC for over a month could worsen the case.
He said part of the demand of the protesters was that the government should recruit more health workers in the area councils “so that the PHC can be opened, especially those that have no staff.”
He also called for the payment of nurses’ hazard allowance, uniform and peculiar allowance, adding that if those were done, the protest would be stopped.
Also speaking, the Chairman of FCT NUT, Abdullahi Shafa, decried the non-payment of minimum wage to teachers at the primary level in the area councils, calling on the FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike, for urgent intervention.
He said teachers had been on strike for more than a month, adding that they would remain on strike if nothing was done on the matter.
Responding, on behalf of the minister, the Mandate Secretary, Education Secretariat of the FCT, Dr. Hayyo Danlami, pledged to deliver the demands of protesters letter to the minister, assuring the protesters that the minister would surely act on their demands.