Resident doctors at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa, on Tuesday began an indefinite strike to protest irregularities in the payment of their salaries.
Chukwunonso Okoye, the President, Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Mr. Okoye said that doctors at the medical centre had been receiving only 48 per cent of their salaries for the past four months.
The president said information at their disposal indicated that it was only at FMC Yenagoa that resident doctors were being owed 52 per cent of their salaries since January 2016.
“We have been having the challenge of being paid only 48 per cent and being owed 52 per cent of our salaries for the past four months.
“We have tried to be patient with the present government, and also shown understanding but up till this moment, we have not received our pay; therefore, we are withdrawing all our services.
“The fact is that it is affecting our members and we do not see how we can continue to show this understanding with present administration.”
Mr. Okoye said the strike would continue indefinitely, if their salaries were not in full.
“We have written to various authorities ranging from the Senators representing Bayelsa to the Accountant General of the Federation, Budget and National Planning and the Minister of Health concerning the short payment but none has shown concern about our plight.
“We made personal contacts with these people but nothing was done. We cannot work on an empty stomach,” he said.
