By Otobong Gabriel, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has unveiled 12 new ambulances for public hospitals across Abuja, part of a major push to strengthen emergency healthcare services.
Alongside the ambulance rollout, Wike ordered the immediate recruitment of additional health personnel to improve service delivery and overall healthcare outcomes in the territory.
Wike described the procurement of the ambulances as a strategic effort to enhance emergency response capabilities. He praised the FCT Health and Environmental Secretariat for driving the initiative, underscoring the administration’s commitment to better healthcare for residents.
He added that outstanding allowances inherited from previous administrations had been settled without industrial action. The minister also emphasized that road infrastructure and education remain key priorities, noting that good roads are critical for the effective deployment of emergency services.
In addition to the ambulances, the FCT Administration is rehabilitating and furnishing 14 health centres across the territory, further upgrading healthcare facilities. Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary for Health and Environmental Services, described the commissioning as a significant milestone in emergency healthcare delivery.
FCTA Strike Resumes
Despite these interventions, workers under the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) resumed their indefinite strike, originally started on January 19 over unresolved welfare concerns. Attendance across FCTA offices was low, following JUAC’s instruction for staff to remain at home.
The strike comes after JUAC filed an appeal against a National Industrial Court ruling from January 27, which had ordered workers to suspend their action. The court adjourned the case to March 23, with JUAC’s lead counsel, Femi Falana (SAN), pursuing the appeal.
The acting Head of the Civil Service, Mrs.
Nancy Nathan, had directed workers to return to duty, but Wike warned that noncompliance would attract consequences. At the same time, he assured staff that the administration remains open to reasonable negotiations, stating that “the majority of the demands have been addressed.”
JUAC Secretary Abdullahi Saleh, however, urged workers to stay at home and maintain unity, emphasizing discipline and commitment to the strike.
The development highlights the dual challenge facing the FCT administration: improving public services while managing ongoing industrial actions, a balance critical to sustaining both healthcare delivery and workforce harmony in the capital territory.
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