Nurses and teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) and Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), yesterday, staged a joint protest over the non-implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage, unpaid allowances, poor working conditions, and other grievances.

    Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the protesters gathered at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters, known as Labour House, before marching to the FCT Minister’s Office in Garki, Abuja, where they delivered a protest letter to FCT administration officials.

   The Chairman of NANNM FCT Chapter, Jama Medan, lamented to newsmen that FCT healthcare facilities, particularly Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), have been neglected.  He said: “We have about 270 PHCs in FCT, serviced by only about 120 nurses/midwives attending to thousands of patients.

    “Sadly, these PHCs have been closed for over a month due to protests by healthcare workers, and nobody is saying anything about it. Women and children are dying because the health facilities have been locked down.”

     Medan accused Area Council Chairmen of withholding N4.1 billion released by the FCT administration to clear allowance arrears, alleging they diverted the funds for personal use.   He urged the FCT administration to compel the chairmen to pay the arrears, implement the minimum wage, and improve healthcare infrastructure and working conditions.

MEANWHILE, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday, condemned the insensitivity displayed by chairmen of FCT area councils towards teachers, particularly on the issue of nonpayment of salaries.

   Reacting to the protest by the FCT chapter of NUT and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Wike confirmed that he had already approved funds to be disbursed to the councils for the payment of teachers, but some chairmen failed to act, despite receiving the necessary support from the FCT administration.